Buckeye Reporter

There were 11 deaths from nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis reported in Ohio in the week ending December 25, making up one percent of total deaths by all causes in Ohio, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending December 25, there were 1,077 deaths in the state. 15.1 percent of deaths were caused by heart disease, 15.7 percent were from cancer and 38.7 percent were from COVID-19. Additionally, 7.4 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
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	224	20.8
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	193	17.9
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	169	15.7
Heart disease	163	15.1
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	65	6
Cerebrovascular diseases	50	4.6
Alzheimer's disease	39	3.6
Diabetes mellitus	19	1.8
Influenza and pneumonia	11	1
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	11	1

Cause of Death	Cause of Death	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	80	7.4