In the week ending May 21, there were 867 deaths in the state. 22% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 18.7% were from cancer and 3.3% 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.
Tennessee top 10 causes of death in week ending May 21
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 191 | 22 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 162 | 18.7 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 50 | 5.8 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 44 | 5.1 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 38 | 4.4 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 24 | 2.8 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 18 | 2.1 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 16 | 1.8 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 11 | 1.3 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 10 | 1.2 |
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