Big Sky Times

There were less than 10 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Montana in the week ending March 19, 2022, making up less than 11.8% of total deaths by all causes in Montana, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending March 19, 2022, there were 85 deaths in the state. 21.2% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 21.2% were from cancer and less than 11.8% 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)	18	21.2
Heart disease	18	21.2
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 11.8
Alzheimer's disease	< 10	< 11.8
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	< 10	< 11.8
Cerebrovascular diseases	< 10	< 11.8
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 11.8
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 11.8
Influenza and pneumonia	0	0
Diabetes mellitus	0	0