Dementia killed more women than Covid in 2020, figures reveal

Dementia not Covid-19 was the greatest cause of death for women in 2020 - killing 45,922 women in England and Wales, official figures reveal.

Some 125 women are dying of dementia every day – that’s five women an hour, according to the Office for National Statistics.

In men, Covid caused the most deaths for men in England and Wales, followed by heart disease, after which dementia and Alzheimer’s disease came third by claiming the lives of over 24,000 men.

In the UK, dementia affects 850,000 people and there is no cure.

The number of people with dementia is set to triple in three decades, with 152 million estimated to be affected globally by 2050, according to research by the University of Washington School of Medicine.

The research was presented at the 2021 Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Colorado at the end of July.

Dementia charities are calling for global action to fund research into a cure for dementia.

Hilary Evans, chief executive of Alzheimer's Research UK has called dementia “our greatest long-term medical challenge”.

“With the number of people with dementia set to triple, we need to see concerted global action now.

"To safeguard progress and improve outcomes around the world, it’s vital our government invests to maintain the UK as a global hub for dementia research to safeguard research progress and improve outcomes around the world.”