Show-Me State Times

There were 51 deaths with COVID-19 listed as a contributing cause reported in Missouri in the week ending Nov. 5, making up four% of total deaths by all causes in Missouri, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Nov. 5, there were 1,279 deaths in the state. 21.3% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 22.7% were from cancer and 6.5% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 10.5% of deaths were from Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

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	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	290	22.7
Heart disease	273	21.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	79	6.2
Alzheimer's disease	56	4.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	55	4.3
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	51	4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	42	3.3
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	32	2.5
Diabetes mellitus	30	2.3
Influenza and pneumonia	18	1.4

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	134	10.5