There were 49 deaths with chronic lower respiratory disease listed as the underlying cause reported in South Carolina during the week ending December 4, no changes from the previous week, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the week ending December 4, there were 1,044 deaths in the state. 22.2 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 17.5 percent were from cancer and 10 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 10.6 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 | Number of Deaths 2021-12-04 | Number of Deaths 2021-11-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Heart disease | 232 | 187 |
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 183 | 162 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 57 | 88 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 50 | 55 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 49 | 49 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 47 | 79 |
| Alzheimer’s disease | 37 | 44 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 14 | 13 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | 13 | < 10 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 12 | 40 |
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths 2021-12-04 | Number of Deaths 2021-11-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer disease and dementia | 111 | 104 |
