Palmetto State News

There were 24 deaths from nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis reported in South Carolina in the week ending June 5, making up 2.3 percent of total deaths by all causes in South Carolina, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending June 5, there were 1,026 deaths in the state. 17.5 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 19.3 percent were from cancer and 4.9 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 10 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)	198	19.3
Heart disease	180	17.5
Cerebrovascular diseases	54	5.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	51	5
Alzheimer's disease	41	4
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	28	2.7
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	24	2.3
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	22	2.1
Diabetes mellitus	18	1.8
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	103	10