Big Sky Times

There were less than 10 deaths with COVID-19 listed as a contributing cause reported in Montana in the week ending Sept. 10, making up less than 8.8% of total deaths by all causes in Montana, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending Sept. 10, there were 114 deaths in the state. 26.3% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 27.2% were from cancer and less than 8.8% 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.

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	31	27.2
Heart disease	30	26.3
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 8.8
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 8.8
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 8.8
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 8.8
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 8.8
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 8.8
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 8.8
Diabetes mellitus	0	0