Show-Me State Times

There were less than 10 deaths from influenza and pneumonia reported in Missouri in the week ending Feb. 19, making up less than 1.4 percent of total deaths by all causes in Missouri, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Feb. 19, there were 709 deaths in the state. 18.9 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 19.6 percent were from cancer and 35.5 percent were from COVID-19.

Studies show doctors and medical examiners may underreport Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related conditions as the underlying cause of death on death certificates, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Once infected, older adults with dementia are likely to develop a more severe and dangerous illness. The diseases which make an older adult more vulnerable to COVID-19 are age-associated chronic conditions, according to the Bright Focus Foundation.

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	139	19.6
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	134	18.9
Heart disease	134	18.9
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	118	16.6
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	43	6.1
Alzheimer's disease	38	5.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	29	4.1
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	16	2.3
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.4
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 1.4