Peace Garden News

There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as a contributing cause reported in North Dakota in the week ending Jan. 8, making up less than 18.5 percent of total deaths by all causes in North Dakota, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Jan. 8, there were 54 deaths in the state. 20.4 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, less than 18.5 percent were from cancer and less than 18.5 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
Heart disease	11	20.4
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 18.5
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 18.5
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 18.5
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 18.5
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 18.5
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 18.5
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	< 10	< 18.5
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	0	0
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	0	0