Rushmore State News

There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in South Dakota in the week ending July 31, making up less than 6.3 percent of total deaths by all causes in South Dakota, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 31, there were 159 deaths in the state. 19.5 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.8 percent were from cancer and less than 6.3 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 6.9 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)	33	20.8
Heart disease	31	19.5
Cerebrovascular diseases	12	7.5
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 6.3
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 6.3
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 6.3
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 6.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 6.3
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 6.3
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 6.3

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	11	6.9