Equality State News

There were 15 deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause reported in Wyoming in the week ending August 14, making up 10.9 percent of total deaths by all causes in Wyoming, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending August 14, there were 137 deaths in the state. 16.8 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 20.4 percent were from cancer and 23.4 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 11.7 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)	28	20.4
Heart disease	23	16.8
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	17	12.4
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	15	10.9
Alzheimer's disease	10	7.3
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 7.3
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 7.3
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 7.3
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 7.3
Influenza and pneumonia	0	0

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	16	11.7