Minnesota State Wire

There were 138 deaths from diseases of the heart reported in Minnesota in the week ending July 10, making up 15.9 percent of total deaths by all causes in Minnesota, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 10, there were 869 deaths in the state. 15.9 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 24.3 percent were from cancer and 1.4 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 12.8 percent 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	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	211	24.3
Heart disease	138	15.9
Alzheimer's disease	46	5.3
Diabetes mellitus	38	4.4
Cerebrovascular diseases	34	3.9
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	23	2.6
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	12	1.4
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	11	1.3
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.2
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 1.2

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	111	12.8