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Vance to host Congress at White House to discuss legislative action on healthcare fraud
FIRST ON FOX: Vice President JD Vance will host members of Congress at the White House on Wednesday morning for a fraud task force meeting where members will discuss potential legislative action to address the administration’s crackdown on fraud.
A source familiar with the meeting told Fox News Digital that roughly 20 members from both the House and Senate are expected at the meeting. Vance will also detail how members can target fraud in the various states and districts they represent.
Vance has previously hosted meetings at the White House to address fraud with a number of attorneys general alongside other members from the administration involved in the task force led by Vance.
"Our task force is using every tool at its disposal to end fraud once and for all. Congress has an important role to play in cracking down on fraudsters and protecting federal programs from abuse," a White House official told Fox News Digital. "President Trump, Vice President Vance, and all of the task force’s interagency partners will not relent until every fraudster is brought to justice."
On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced that it is expanding its Northeast Health Care Fraud Strike Force to Philadelphia as federal and state authorities target alleged Medicare and Medicaid fraud involving home healthcare services, adding Pennsylvania to a number of states across the country where the administration is honed in on fraud.
Federal and state law enforcement charged 19 defendants accused of participating in schemes involving more than $4 million in claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid, according to a DOJ release obtained by Fox News.
On Sunday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday also announced a plea agreement involving the final defendant in a previously charged 21-defendant case tied to more than $1.7 million in claims.
"The vice president’s task force continues to stop the flow of taxpayer funds before they fall into the hands of fraudsters and deliver savings to the American people," a spokesperson for Vice President JD Vance told Fox News Digital. "This is great momentum in the fight for the President’s War on Fraud."
WATCH: DR. OZ SAYS NEWSOM, OTHER BLUE STATES HAVE TURNED MEDICAID FRAUD INTO A 'FEATURE'
The task force has suspended payments to a number of healthcare providers who have been suspected of fraud across the country. As of May, Vance and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz withheld more than $1.4 billion in federal funding for home health and hospice providers nationwide.
In June, the Trump administration revealed new figures that show a drastic 7,100% spike in Medicare claims for skin substitutes in just six years, surging from $200 million to $14.4 billion from 2019 to 2025.
CMS identified 4,200 suspicious claims for skin substitutes, known as allografts, totaling $224 million in charges through May of this year.
"That's a lot of money," Oz said during a news conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday. "And that bankrupts not just hospital systems and physician groups, but it causes major problems across the entire landscape."
President Donald Trump established the task force through an executive order in May. He appointed Vance to the fraud crackdown team and various agencies and departments have been involved in rooting out widespread fraud.
"Vice President JD Vance and Republicans are doing a great job hunting down Fraud in the various States," Trump posted on Truth Social in June. "Billions of Dollars is being found, and we've just started!"
Wisconsin brewery that promised free beer when Trump dies now plans 'half-price beer day' when McConnell dies
The Wisconsin brewery that previously sparked outrage by promising free beer on "the day" President Donald Trump dies is once again drawing criticism after announcing plans for a "half-price beer day" when Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., dies.
In a post on Instagram on Monday, Minocqua Brewing Company said it plans to celebrate McConnell's death by offering beer at half price, arguing the longtime Kentucky Republican was responsible for "about half of all America's current problems."
"Well, folks, if our logic is right, we're supposed to get the news today that ‘Rigor Tortoise’ kicked the bucket about two months ago," the brewery said.
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"Why today? Because so-called 'Establishment Democratic Hero' and modern day gutless member of the do-nothing opposition party — Governor Andy Beshear — failed to call a special election to replace the ‘ghost from Kentucky’ before August 3rd — which means by Kentucky law, the seat will go unfilled until January."
"When they announce that McConnell's Faustian dance has finally ended, we're gonna start serving our beer at ‘half price,’ because we promised #halfpricebeerday on the day they unplug the ventilator," the brewery continued.
McConnell, who is 84, has not been in the Senate for more than a month after being hospitalized for a fall in his home.
Last week, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear demanded that McConnell prove he is fit to continue serving in Congress after a lengthy hospital stay or resign from office.
"I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign," Beshear wrote in a letter to McConnell, obtained by Fox News Digital.
WISCONSIN DEM'S BAR LAMENTS 'WE ALMOST GOT FREE BEER DAY' FOR TRUMP ASSASSINATION
In the post, the brewery said it chose the name "half-price beer day" because it blamed McConnell for "about half" of the country's current problems while noting that its previously announced "free beer day" promotion remained reserved for "someone more special."
The brewery also promoted "half-price beer day" T-shirts and encouraged supporters to wear them when the event eventually takes place.
Minocqua Brewing Company, which in a January social media post appeared to suggest it would give free beer to patrons if Trump was killed, while not explicitly using his name, is currently fighting getting their permit revoked.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on July 27 that Wisconsin's Department of Revenue sent a notice to liberal activist and brewery owner Kirk Bangstad announcing plans to revoke the brewery’s permit.
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The Sentinel reported that state regulators pursued revoking Bangstad's alcohol license after authorities seized canned beer from his company in June, alleging it had been transported from Illinois without the required permits and taxes. The paper also reported that Bangstad criticized the proposed action as an excessive response, arguing the alleged tax violations did not warrant shutting down his business.
The revocation of the beer permit was set to go into effect on Tuesday, but a spokesperson for Wisconsin's Department of Revenue told Fox News Digital in a statement that "Minocqua Brewing Company has filed an administrative appeal, and, therefore, the permit will not be revoked, pending the outcome of the administrative appeal."
Bangstad, the owner of the brewery, is also the founder of the Minocqua Brewing Company SuperPAC, which "aims to remove Republican federal and state elected officials who perpetuated the election lies that caused the Insurrection of January 6, 2021, and whose downplaying of the seriousness of COVID-19 caused so many unnecessary deaths in our country," according to the brewery’s website.
Fox News Digital reached out to Minocqua Brewing Company, Gov. Beshear's office and Sen. McConnell's office for comment but did not immediately receive responses.
Washington wildfire arson suspect previously charged with first-degree murder, records show
The man accused of setting the largest of the wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of buildings and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes in eastern Washington was previously charged with first-degree murder before pleading guilty to a reduced manslaughter charge, court records show.
Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was arrested Monday on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, the largest of three blazes burning in and around Spokane, Washington's second-largest city.
The fires have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced about 67,000 people to evacuate. Authorities have not alleged any connection between Farinacci and the other two fires, which remain under investigation.
WASHINGTON MAN ARRESTED ON ARSON CHARGE TIED TO DEVASTATING SPOKANE WILDFIRE
The arrest came hours after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, pointed to climate change as firefighters battled the region's destructive wildfires.
"Climate change isn't some existential global thing," Inslee said Monday. "It's our neighbors. It's our friends."
Court records reviewed by Fox News Digital show Farinacci was initially charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault in a 2010 Arizona homicide before pleading guilty in 2012 to reduced charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault.
The Associated Press reported that Farinacci, then 21, fatally shot his father during an argument over washing dishes in Mesa, Arizona, in 2010. Farinacci also shot himself but survived.
A Maricopa County judge sentenced Farinacci to 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault. Arizona Department of Corrections records show he was released on Dec. 23, 2020.
Less than six years after his release from prison, Farinacci again found himself accused of a major crime.
The Spokane County Sheriff's Office said Major Crimes detectives and Washington State Department of Natural Resources fire investigators identified Farinacci as the suspect after developing probable cause during the investigation.
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Detectives obtained arrest and search warrants before taking Farinacci into custody without incident at his Spokane residence, where he was booked into the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of first-degree arson.
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Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said witnesses reported seeing a man – later identified as Farinacci – acting suspiciously near where the fire started. After returning home and noticing smoke rising from the same area, they flagged down an Airway Heights police officer and provided investigators with a physical description of the man and the clothing he was wearing.
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Deputies initially detained and questioned Farinacci before releasing him as first responders focused on evacuating residents threatened by the rapidly growing fire, Nowels said.
As detectives reviewed witness statements, body camera footage and evidence gathered with fire investigators, they developed probable cause to arrest Farinacci.
When deputies first contacted Farinacci, he was carrying waterproof matches and a butane lighter, investigators said. Fire investigators later determined the blaze was consistent with dry grass being ignited by a match or lighter.
Nowels said the first-degree arson charge reflected the evidence investigators currently have but cautioned that additional charges could be considered as the investigation continues and authorities assess the full scope of the fire's destruction.
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The sheriff credited observant residents with helping investigators quickly identify the suspect.
"As it happens in so many critical cases, it was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings, being aware and willing to step up and say something that led to the relatively quick apprehension of Mr. Farinacci," Nowels said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
New York police official accused of driving getaway car for son in gang-related shooting
A New York police official is being accused of serving as the getaway driver for her son in an apparent gang shooting in New York City, the New York Post reported Tuesday.
Police sources told the Post that Jennifer Lackard, a deputy police commissioner with the Mount Vernon Police Department, was arrested along with her son, Chase Lackard, 20, at their home Tuesday morning. Authorities said Chase was charged with shooting at rival gang members near the Bronx Criminal Court in late June.
Sources told the Post that Chase ran to his mother in her car after the shooting, and she sped off.
No one was injured in the shooting.
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Both the mother and son have been charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, criminal possession of a firearm, conspiracy and reckless endangerment.
The Mount Vernon Police Department said Tuesday that Lackard had been terminated effectively immediately.
"The allegations are unrelated to her duties with the Mount Vernon Police Department and do not stem from any conduct associated with the Department or the performance of her official responsibilities," the department wrote on social media.
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The incident was far from Chase's first run-in with law enforcement. He was shot by police in 2024 after allegedly wielding a gun during an argument.
He was also shot once before in 2023 by three other youths during a dispute on a bus. Chase is allegedly a member of the "Slutty Gang," according to the Post.
He reportedly demanded to know what gang the other youths belonged to and then attempted to drag one of them off the bus before being shot in the chest.
Embattled GOP rep takes dramatic step to 'clear my name' as abuse allegations engulf House race
Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, is calling for an investigation into abuse allegations made against him by his ex-wife, as the dramatic family feud overshadows his race for re-election.
Miller has consistently denied wrongdoing and accused both his ex-wife and her father, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, of trying to take down his political career.
"In light of all the renewed interest in my family affairs, I am going to file my own paperwork for an ethics investigation into myself to clear my name from these horrific attacks on myself and my family. I have absolutely nothing to hide," Miller wrote on X on Tuesday.
"We will be providing the committee all necessary documents needed for a detail examination. The accusations continue to change, but my facts stay the same. I am looking forward to my colleagues reading everything for themselves."
OHIO GOP FAMILY FEUD EXPLODES AS SEN BERNIE MORENO CALLS ON REP MAX MILLER TO RESIGN
The Ethics Committee confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that it would investigate allegations that Miller "may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use."
Emily Moreno, who filed for divorce from Miller in 2024 after two years of marriage, has accused him of physically abusing both her and their young daughter. Allegations include that he scalded Moreno with boiling water and held a gun to her head during two separate occasions, and that she had to get their daughter medical aid for a broken collar bone after she was in Miller's care.
Miller suggested in a livestream on X over the weekend that Moreno had suffered from mental health issues in the past and that might be the reason behind her accusations. He also said none of the allegations she made have been substantiated by relevant entities.
"Every single one of these allegations were already investigated. No criminal charge has ever been filed against me," Miller said in the video. He said the water incident occurred during "horseplay" between the two, and disputed that the water was boiling. He also said Moreno took their daughter to the emergency room thinking there was a bruise on their daughter's neck, but that the mark was from finger painting.
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But mounting public pressure has brought the Cleveland-area feud to Washington, where Sen. Moreno told reporters Tuesday that Miller "fails to meet that minimum basic standard" for elected officials who get to serve.
He also criticized Miller in a statement posted on X, calling him a "danger" to his daughter and granddaughter. Miller and Moreno share custody over the child.
The intense public scrutiny is also potentially putting Miller's re-election into question, with Democrats seeing new opportunity in what was a relatively safe red seat in the Cleveland suburbs.
One House GOP source, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about a sensitive situation, told Fox News Digital the situation was a "f—-ing trainwreck."
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The source noted that the allegations against Miller had not been substantiated, but said "the court of public opinion is a b—-."
Miller likely appears to voters to have "a little too much on his plate," the source said.
Meanwhile, a House Republican, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly, said Miller should not run for re-election. "We must lead by example," they said.
The same House Republican also called for Reps. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., and Cory Mills, R-Fla., also facing harassment allegations that they have denied, to similarly drop out of their races.
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But Miller has been defiant so far, expressing confidence that he'll win in November.
The House Ethics Committee, which Miller is calling on to investigate his case, recently recommended that Edwards be censured for his behavior toward two young female staffers.
Devastated mother blames soft-on-crime policies after career criminal is charged in son’s death
The family of a 12-year-old boy killed by a stray bullet in the Bronx is demanding change after a suspect with a lengthy arrest record was charged with his murder.
After the death of Jacob Freytes, the son of a retired NYPD detective sergeant, his mother and sister are pushing for "Jacob's Law," which they say would require life sentences for people convicted of recklessly taking a child's life.
"I gave him a kiss, and I walked out, and we always do a little dolphin kiss. And I walked out and went to work," Migdalia Martinez, Freytes' mother, told "Fox & Friends" Tuesday.
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"Around five o'clock, they called me and said that he had gotten shot. And all I could do was try to think of different ways to get here faster," she added. "When I got there, I just seen my boy gone."
Freytes, who was riding his bike to a nearby bodega to buy a ball, was shot and killed after a suspect opened fire during an alleged street dispute. Two other adults were also wounded in the shooting.
Police said William Ferrer, 45, was arrested and faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty. Ferrer has an arrest record dating back more than 25 years, including prior charges for drunk driving, drug possession, menacing and criminal contempt, according to the New York Post.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch addressed Ferrer’s arrest on X, writing, "Jacob was an innocent bystander on his bike when he was taken from his family yesterday in an act of senseless gun violence.
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"No arrest can ever ease the pain of this unimaginable loss, but the NYPD will continue to do everything in our power to seek justice for Jacob."
The family is calling for a proposed "Jacob's Law" that they say would require life sentences for people convicted of recklessly taking a child’s life. The family also criticized New York's crime policies, including cash bail reforms for misdemeanors and the end of stop-and-frisk.
"It's just so much that they allow that, at this point, it's just safer more for the criminals than it is for hardworking people," Martinez said.
Freytes’ sister, Angelica Coriano, said the family welcomed the charges but remained uneasy about whether the suspect would receive enough prison time if convicted.
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"'Jacob's Law' will allow for there to be no in-between whether somebody goes to jail or not for taking a child's life recklessly. It'll allow for criminals to go straight to jail or prison instead of the family having to go to court continuously hoping and wondering if they're [going to] get the justice that they deserve for the child that they lost," Coriano said.
"And we went to court and found out all the charges that he'd be receiving, which is great, but we still have to sit with the worry whether he'll face all the time that is necessary enough to keep him where he needs to be. And that type of uncertainty is very uncomfortable for us as a family, knowing that we'll never see our child again."
Martinez remembered her son as a "funny, quirky kid" who loved his friends, family and playing video games.
"There wasn't an old woman he didn't help with bags or cross the street," she said. "There wasn't a person that if he caught your eye, he'd make sure to tell you hi."
Angel Reese got a Barbie doll, signature shoe and WNBA theme night, then played victim again
Angel Reese just wrapped up an extraordinary 10-day stretch that most young girls in America could only dream about.
On July 24, Mattel unveiled a Barbie doll made in her likeness. The doll wore a pink jersey featuring Reese’s No. 5, the number she wears with the Atlanta Dream, and included details such as her headband, leg sleeve, necklace, pink nails and signature Reebok shoes.
On July 25, she competed in her third consecutive WNBA All-Star Game.
On Aug. 3, a matching Barbie edition of the Angel Reese 1, her signature sneaker, went on sale.
That same night, the Dream held "Barbie Game Day" at State Farm Arena, complete with special ticket packages and limited-edition merchandise. Reese’s doll sat beside her during media availability.
In 10 days, Reese received her own Barbie, a matching version of her signature shoe and an entire WNBA promotional event tied to the collaboration.
Yet even that wasn’t enough to keep Reese from returning to her favorite subject: what the world had denied her.
"Honestly, I didn’t have a lot of dolls because I didn’t have dolls that really looked like me much," Reese said when asked what dolls she played with growing up.
"That’s why I kind of really wanted to make sure this was super intentional, because now that they have a doll that looks like you, nails and hair, but also you can be a killer on the court as well."
Reese didn’t say Black dolls never existed, but she clearly framed her childhood doll options as a failure of representation.
So, it's worth noting that Mattel introduced Christie, a Black character in Barbie’s world, in 1968. The first doll officially named Black Barbie arrived in 1980, more than two decades before Reese was born. American Girl introduced Addy Walker in 1993.
And in 1998, Mattel sold officially licensed African-American NBA Barbie dolls wearing authentic team uniforms and packaged with basketballs.
That was four years before Reese was born, meaning that a Black basketball-playing Barbie existed before Angel Reese did. Somehow, that didn't qualify as a doll that "looked like her" and could be a "killer on the court."
Her new doll doesn't mark the arrival of representation that had never existed. It marks another lucrative commercial opportunity for one of the most heavily promoted athletes in women’s sports.
Last month, I wrote about how frequently Reese presents herself as overlooked or unfairly treated, even as attention has helped make her one of the most famous and commercially successful players in women’s basketball.
ANGEL REESE’S LATEST WNBA CONTROVERSY SHOWS HOW VICTIMHOOD BECAME CENTRAL TO HER BRAND
Here's the truth: Angel Reese is incredibly privileged.
Reese attended St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, a private school where high school tuition is currently $15,000 per year. She was a McDonald's All-American and one of the top college recruits in the country.
She then played basketball at Maryland before transferring to LSU on a full scholarship, earning a free four-year college education and a bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Now, she's a professional athlete with major endorsements, millions of social-media followers, a podcast, a signature shoe and a Barbie doll. She walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and attended the Met Gala for the third consecutive year in May.
And the preferential treatment hasn’t been limited to corporate America.
The Dream acquired Reese from Chicago in April for two first-round picks. The deal came only months after Reese publicly ripped the Sky’s roster, questioned her teammates and warned that she might have to "move in a different direction" if the organization didn’t improve.
Chicago suspended her for comments it deemed "detrimental to the team."
Yet, rather than suffer any real consequence for publicly bashing the organization that drafted her in the first round of the 2024 WNBA Draft, Reese landed with a ready-made contender willing to pay a premium price.
That team then made her the centerpiece of a major marketing campaign, including an entire game-night promotion built around her personal brand.
Most athletes never receive any one of those opportunities, let alone all of them.
Yet, sitting beside a doll made in her image during a night built around celebrating her brand, Reese focused on what the world had failed to give her.
At this point, victimhood no longer seems like an occasional theme in the Angel Reese story.
It looks like the brand.
Slain LSU student Madison Brooks’ alleged rapist wants supporters banned from wearing pink at trial: report
One of the three men accused of raping a young woman before she was killed wants to prevent her friends, family and supporters from wearing pink at the upcoming trial.
Madison Brooks, 19, was a student at Louisiana State University when she was hit by a car and killed after a group of men allegedly raped her then dumped her out of a vehicle on a Baton Rouge highway in 2023.
The driver involved in the fatal crash stayed on scene and was cleared of charges.
Three years later, one of the accused rapists, Desmond Carter, 21, will appear before a judge later this month.
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Prosecutors allege Carter, Kaivon Washington and Casen Carver sexually assaulted Brooks inside a vehicle after a night of drinking together at a local bar; all three men face rape charges in the incident.
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According to local outlet WBRZ, Carter's defense team filed a motion looking to prohibit pink attire and clothing with supportive messages, arguing it could unfairly influence or intimidate the jury.
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The defense referenced Supreme Court cases "Sheppard v. Maxwell" and "Estes v. Texas" concerning media-driven "carnival atmospheres" and procedural fairness to argue that spectator displays compromise Carter's right to a fair trial.
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The prosecution opposed the motion, characterizing the pink clothing as victim advocacy rather than jury intimidation.
Mets call up pitcher known for his over the top strikeout celebrations as dismal season hits new level
The New York Mets very comfortably occupy the basement of the National League East and are set to miss the postseason for the second consecutive year. A franchise living in that reality making a roster move would not garner any attention, but when that move involves a guy who does the splits after striking out hitters, an exception is made.
The Mets selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Jefry Yan on July 2, and hours after the MLB trade deadline officially passed on Aug. 3, Yan was among a handful of pitchers reportedly promoted.
Mets fans have nothing to look forward to in the immediate term, but watching Yan potentially make his debut in The Show may as well be appointment viewing.
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Beyond the 29-year-old's impressive numbers at both the AA and AAA levels in 2026, Yan puts on a show, in the most literal way, every time he takes the bump.
Jumping into the air, doing the splits, screaming at the top of his lungs, smacking the ground. You name it, Yan does it.
While his antics look like something straight out of a Savannah Bananas game, the dude can throw a baseball.
After bouncing around the Minor League systems of the Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, and Colorado Rockies early in his career, Yan inked a deal with the Mets in August 2025, and 2026 has been a mighty kind year for the Dominican native.
In 26.2 innings of work with AA Binghamton, Yan posted a 3.71 ERA while striking out 45 batters. After taking the step up to AAA Syracuse, his stuff only got better.
In his 15.0 innings with Syracuse, Yan owns a record of 2-1, an ERA of 2.40 while giving up just six hits and striking out 32.
Do the jokes write themselves given that Yan plays for the punching bag of Major League Baseball? Yes. Will the Mets get clowned on social media when Yan gives up a home run or struggles after doing a Michael Jackson stunt on the mound? You bet.
On the flip side, at least Mets fans have something to talk about for a brief moment other than the team being 19 games below .500 in early August.
Tick-borne 'rabbit fever' spreads with cases reported near major metro area
Health officials on Long Island are warning residents about a rare but potentially serious tick-borne illness.
Three probable cases of tularemia — also known as "rabbit fever" — have been confirmed by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS).
"SCDHS currently has three probable cases of tularemia this year," the agency said in a statement provided to local outlets. "Confirmation of a tularemia diagnosis requires a combination of laboratory testing and fulfillment of specific clinical or epidemiologic criteria. The laboratory testing to confirm a tularemia diagnosis may take several weeks."
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One case involved a 9-year-old patient who was bitten by a tick while playing outside, according to NBC4 New York. After the tick was removed, he later developed high fever, severe head and neck pain, swollen lymph nodes/glands, body aches and extreme fatigue.
After multiple doctor visits and nearly a month of illness, an infectious disease specialist diagnosed the boy with tularemia.
Although the family's yard is home to wild rabbits, the patient's mother said he never handled the animals. Doctors believe infected ticks likely fed on the rabbits before biting the boy, transmitting the bacteria, according to reports.
Caused by the bacteria Francisella tularensis, the disease commonly infects rabbits, hares and rodents. However, it is zoonotic, which means it can spread from animals to humans.
The bacteria is a "tier-1 select agent," a classification given to agents and toxins that "present the greatest risk of deliberate misuse with significant potential for mass casualties or devastating effects to the economy, critical infrastructure or public confidence, and pose a severe threat to public health and safety," per the CDC.
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Although tularemia remains rare, with 196 U.S. cases reported in 2023, the disease has become more common in recent years. CDC surveillance found 2,462 cases between 2011 and 2022 — a 56% increase in incidence compared with the previous decade (2001–2010).
Daniel Ruderfer, M.D., chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Hackensack Meridian K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in New Jersey, believes that the increase in cases is mostly due to improved microbiology detection methods.
"The traditional method of confirming cases has historically been via growth in culture and antibody testing," he previously told Fox News Digital.
"However, newer detection methods, such as PCR testing, are likely a major contributor to the increase in reported cases."
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Humans can contract the disease through bites from deer flies or ticks, contact with infected animals, or exposure to contaminated water or aerosols, the same source stated.
Symptoms of tularemia can vary depending on the type of disease. General symptoms include chills, headache, malaise, fatigue, anorexia, myalgia, chest discomfort, cough, severe sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, according to Ruderfer.
"Depending on the location of the infected bit or scratch, people can develop localized lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes) and a cutaneous ulcer at the infection site," he said.
"Other manifestations include conjunctivitis, pneumonia and potentially even bloodstream infections."
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The death rate from the disease is typically low, less than 2%, but the CDC noted that it can be as high as 24% in rare, severe cases.
Tularemia can be treated with antibiotics, but no vaccine is currently available.
"The infection is absolutely dangerous and potentially life-threatening if not treated with appropriate antibiotics," said Ruderfer.
Those most at risk include children between 5 and 9 years of age, older men, American Indian and Alaskan Native people, and those living in central U.S. states, according to the report.
The general population is not at an "obvious" risk for infection unless they come into physical contact with an infected rabbit, tick or deer fly, the expert noted.
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Those who hunt or interact routinely with rabbits should see a doctor if they develop any concerning symptoms, he advised.
"Many factors might contribute to the higher risk for tularemia in this population, including the concentration of Native American reservations in central states and sociocultural or occupational activities that might increase contact with infected wildlife or arthropods," the CDC wrote.