For the Tomahawk Leader WISCONSIN – The Alzheimer’s Association announced on Tuesday, Dec. 8 that an analysis of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data indicates that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a 13.9% increase in deaths from Alzheimer’s and dementia in Wisconsin, compared to the five-year average. “This is a vulnerable population, and the above-average deaths far exceed other categories reported by the CDC,” the Alzheimer’s Association stated in a release. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing ‘excess deaths’ of those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said Michael Bruhn, Director of Public Policy, Alzheimer’s Association Wisconsin Chapter. “Families with a loved one in a facility have been hit hard by the pandemic, and COVID-19 is altering normal patterns of mortality. The Alzheimer’s Association is concerned about this alarming trend and is calling on state lawmakers to implement rapid testing and other safety protocols to protect these vulnerable individuals.”