In the week ending Oct. 1, there were 904 deaths in the state. 19.7% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.3% were from cancer and 5.3% 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.
South Carolina top 10 causes of death in week ending Oct. 1
| Cause of Death | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor) | 193 | 21.3 |
| Heart disease | 178 | 19.7 |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 53 | 5.9 |
| Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 47 | 5.2 |
| Alzheimer's disease | 31 | 3.4 |
| COVID-19 (multiple cause) | 29 | 3.2 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 19 | 2.1 |
| COVID-19 (underlying cause) | 19 | 2.1 |
| Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis | 14 | 1.5 |
| Influenza and pneumonia | < 10 | < 1.1 |
Alerts Sign-up