Big Sky Times

There were less than 10 deaths from influenza and pneumonia reported in Montana in the week ending July 29, making up less than 5% of total deaths by all causes in Montana, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending July 29, there were 201 deaths in the state. 20.4% of deaths were caused by heart disease and 23.4% were from cancer Additionally, 7% 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	% of Total Deaths
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	47	23.4
Heart disease	41	20.4
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	11	5.5
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 5
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 5
Diabetes mellitus	< 10	< 5
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 5
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 5
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	0	0
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	0	0

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	14	7