Fox News Latest Headlines
Chris Sale turns back clock, hits triple digits and completes gem on emotional night in Braves sweep
Chris Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner, had thrown 97 pitches through eight innings Thursday when he walked the length of the Atlanta Braves’ dugout, found manager Walt Weiss and made his intentions clear.
"This is mine," Sale declared.
The left-hander needed just 12 more pitches to record the final three outs and complete a 1-0 shutout of the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in Atlanta. The victory capped a three-game sweep for the NL East-leading Braves, who beat Los Angeles by one run in each game.
At 37, Sale’s standout performance Thursday offered another reminder that he remains among baseball’s best and reinforced his standing in the NL Cy Young Award race alongside Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.
BREWERS HUMAN HOWITZER JACOB MISIOROWSKI BREAKS HIS OWN RECORD FOR HARDEST PITCH THROWN BY A STARTER
Sale unleashed two of his fastest pitches since 2018 on Thursday, with both being hurled while Shohei Ohtani stood in the batter's box. Sale also record his first complete game since 2019. His ERA now sits at 2.06, which is second in the majors only behind Misiorowski. The Braves ace also extended his streak of starts allowing three runs or fewer to 21.
Ohtani struck out twice against Sale, who finished the night with 11 strikeouts.
"You can make an argument that, as great a career as he's having, he's as good now as he's ever been," Weiss said. "It's mind-boggling."
The last time Sale’s fastball reached triple digits was July 6, 2018, when he was 29 and still pitching for the Boston Red Sox. Boston went on to win the World Series that season, years before Sale would need to undergo Tommy John surgery.
"Anytime you're facing a team like that you just try to put your best foot forward, you know it's going to be a dog fight, you know it's not going to come easy," Sale told "The Pat McAfee Show" on Friday.
Only one Dodgers player managed to reach scoring position while Sale was on the mound.
Videos shared on social media showed Sale’s son reacting as he realized his father would return to the mound for the ninth inning. "The family stuff, it's fun just [because], I'm glad I don't see that stuff until after the game [beacuse] that's just so special," Sale told "The Pat McAfee Show" about the emotional night.
DODGERS' TARIK SKUBAL EXPECTS AN EMOTIONAL REUNION AGAINST TIGERS FRIDAY
Adding to the emotion of the night, Sale took the mound carrying the weight of a personal loss. Before the game, he learned that Ashley Foss, a close family friend, had died of cancer. Foss’ family has managed Sale’s finances through their agency for several years, and the families have grown close over time.
While Sale’s performance took center stage, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was strong for the Dodgers as well. The reigning World Series MVP pitched 6.1 innings, allowing one run on Braves catcher Drake Baldwin’s first-pitch solo homer off a splitter.
The Braves remain home this weekend, opening a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. The Dodgers, meanwhile, traveled to Detroit for a matchup with the Tigers, with Tarik Skubal facing his former team for the first time since his blockbuster trade to Los Angeles earlier this month.
WATCH: Wanted man escapes cops twice by running onto freeway, then walks into their Panda Express lunch
A wanted California man who twice escaped officers by running onto a freeway apparently ran out of luck when he unexpectedly walked into a Panda Express where the same officers were eating lunch, police said.
Two attempts. Two escapes onto the freeway. Then came an unexpected third encounter.
Officers with the Monrovia Police Department recognized the man when he entered the restaurant and quickly arrested him, ending a month-long effort to take him into custody on a no-bail felony probation warrant.
WATCH: FELONY SUSPECT'S OCEAN GETAWAY UNRAVELS AFTER 90-MINUTE STANDOFF WITH LIFEGUARDS
Body camera video of the incident shows two officers sitting and eating inside the restaurant before springing into action and taking the suspect, who has not been identified, to the ground.
Police said the man was wanted on a no-bail warrant for a probation violation.
The encounter unfolded July 17, but police released video of the arrest Thursday.
In the video, the suspect asks the officers, "What did I do?"
DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER'S 107 MPH TRAFFIC STOP BRINGS BODYCAM BATTLE FRONT AND CENTER AGAIN
One officer responds, "You've been wanted. You've been running from me for like a month."
Police said officers had previously attempted to arrest the man on two separate occasions while he was out walking. Both times, he allegedly ran onto the freeway and managed to evade them.
The breakthrough came as officers were taking a lunch break at Panda Express when the wanted man "walked right up to them," police said.
"At this point, we're not sure if it was good police work, bad timing, or the irresistible smell of chow mein," the department joked. "Either way, an arrest was made."
The officers apparently didn't let the arrest keep them from finishing lunch.
"And don't worry the officers went back for their food and finished their chow mein," the department said. "Priorities."
The Monrovia Police Department told Fox News Digital its social media post and accompanying footage constitute its public statement on the incident and that no additional information would be provided at this time.
Enes Kanter Freedom's legal representatives file FOIA request related to Chicago Sky ejection incident
The America First Policy Institute has launched an investigation into Enes Kanter Freedom’s removal from a Chicago Sky game and his subsequent ban from Wintrust Arena.
AFPI filed a six-page public-records request Friday with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the government entity that owns the arena. The request was submitted on Freedom’s behalf under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
"Enes Freedom exercised his constitutional right as an American when he attended the WNBA game in Chicago," AFPI chief legal affairs officer Leigh Ann O’Neill said in a statement. "Today, we launched an investigation, seeking critical documents that will assist in our efforts to ensure that public entities are held accountable when American’s constitutional rights are trampled."
ENES KANTER FREEDOM EJECTED FROM SKY-FEVER GAME AFTER VERBAL ALTERCATION WITH NATASHA CLOUD
Freedom attended Sunday’s game between the Sky and Indiana Fever wearing a shirt that read, "WOMAN noun. adult human female." Sky guard Natasha Cloud approached Freedom’s courtside seat during a third-quarter timeout, leading to a verbal exchange. Security intervened and escorted Freedom from the arena after he stepped toward the court.
AFPI’s records request seeks to determine who holds authority over access, security and event operations at the publicly owned facility.
The group requested agreements among MPEA, arena operator Oak View Group, the Chicago Sky and the WNBA. It also sought security policies, law-enforcement agreements, records identifying who authorized Freedom’s removal and ban, and documents detailing the arena’s receipt of federal funding.
MPEA describes itself as a municipal corporation created by the Illinois General Assembly. Its board members are appointed by Illinois’ governor and Chicago’s mayor. The authority owns the 10,000-seat Wintrust Arena, which operates through a public-private partnership with DePaul University.
The records request does not itself establish that Freedom’s constitutional rights were violated. AFPI is seeking documents that could help determine whether the conduct of the Sky or arena personnel can be attributed to a public entity.
AFPI asked MPEA to preserve potentially responsive emails, text messages and internal communications while producing records on a rolling basis. No lawsuit has been filed.
OutKick has reached out to MPEA and the Sky for comment.
Royce White shows up to Indiana Fever game in blonde wig amid WNBA Draft pursuit
Former NBA player Royce White brought his WNBA Draft campaign directly to an arena Friday night, just days after Enes Kanter Freedom was thrown out of a game. Both White and Freedom have declared for the next WNBA Draft as males.
White attended the Indiana Fever’s game against the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse wearing a long blonde wig, as seen in photos and video obtained by OutKick.
The former first-round NBA pick could be seen inside the arena wearing the wig as the Fever prepared to take on Connecticut. He was greeted with a friendly welcome by fans, as multiple people stopped to shake his hand and take pictures with him.
When asked by OutKick why he was there, White said, "All hail Queen Roysha, the queen has arrived, it's great to be here... I'm here because Black trans lesbians matter, and we've always mattered, we've always existed... I'm here to participate and scout some of the competition maybe as well."
Freedom’s ejection became a national storyline Sunday night and continued to draw attention after he was banned from future Sky games.
CHICAGO SKY OWNER OPENS UP ON ENES KANTER FREEDOM EJECTION, MAKES ANALOGY TO SHOOTING A GUN
When asked about Freedom's incident and if fans might also see some "fireworks" with White in attendance on Friday, White responded, "I'm just here to spectate. I'm just here to support the WNBA and support the Fever."
Asked what reception he expected from Fever fans Friday, White was unfazed:
"Who cares? It’s life, you get one life to live. You’re born, you breathe, you stop breathing, hopefully you give all glory to God … Who cares what the reaction is?"
His appearance continued the public campaign he launched earlier this month when he announced his intention to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft.
White previously previewed the look on social media.
White formally declared for the draft in a letter sent to the WNBA league office by his attorney, former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz. The declaration stated that White identified as a transgender woman and claimed eligibility under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement.
The CBA states that "only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA," but it does not provide a more specific definition based on biological sex or gender identity.
White has made clear that his declaration is intended to pressure the WNBA into explicitly stating whether biological males can compete in the league.
"I’m transgender. I’m a woman. I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball, so I’ll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well," White previously told OutKick.
White has also threatened to pursue a discrimination lawsuit if he is not allowed to compete.
Multiple outlets reported this week that White and fellow former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom would not be eligible for the draft. A league source characterized their declarations as "publicity stunts." However, White’s legal team said it had not received a formal determination directly from the WNBA.
"The WNBA should preserve all records in anticipation of litigation," Gaetz wrote on social media.
White was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 16th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft after starring at Iowa State. He appeared in only three NBA games, all with the Sacramento Kings in 2014.
Woman allegedly ejected from roller coaster, suffers serious injuries after dragged along track: reports
A 60-year-old woman suffered a broken rib, collapsed lung, a traumatic brain injury and a dislocated shoulder that required surgery after she was allegedly ejected from her seat on a Colorado roller coaster and dragged, according to reports and a law firm representing her.
Nicki Parker of Texas was thrown from her seat and dragged for 20 to 30 seconds after she remained strapped into her seat belt as the Rocky Mountain Coaster at Copper Mountain Resort kept going, FOX 31 Denver reported, citing her attorney.
"It was actually wrapped around her and pulled her, and she was dragged along the track as it went down," Trent Ongert of the Bloch Ongert Injury Law told the news station.
Ongert said Parker’s husband, who was riding behind her at the time, attempted to help her.
"She was lying on the track. He then had to get her out because there was nobody, no way to get to her," he explained. "They’re about 15 to 20 feet off the ground."
Parker remains hospitalized, Ongert said.
A sign posted along the ride says that the "cart will stop and beep" if a seat belt is disconnected.
COLLEGE GRAD REPORTEDLY DIES IN SIX FLAGS ROLLER COASTER INCIDENT AS FAMILY SUES THEME PARK
Colorado’s Division of Oil and Public Safety's Amusement Rides and Devices Program is investigating the incident.
"We can confirm our Division of Oil & Public Safety is investigating an incident that happened on Copper Mountain's Rocky Mountain Coaster on Monday, August 17, 2026," the agency told Fox News Digital.
"One rider was injured in the incident. The Rocky Mountain Coaster is currently closed while the investigation continues. OPS has also told the manufacturer that they need to publish a safety bulletin and share it with all impacted operators.
"A similar ride operating at the Purgatory Resort is also closed pending the outcome of the investigation. Documentation involving the incident will not be made public until the investigation is complete."
JURY AWARDS TEENS $550K AFTER OREGON AMUSEMENT PARK RIDE LEFT THEM HANGING UPSIDE DOWN: REPORT
The roller coaster, which is 5,800 feet long and bills itself as the "2nd longest alpine coaster in North America," remains closed, according to its website.
"Our thoughts are with the guest, and we wish them a speedy recovery," the resort said in a press release sent to local outlets.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the agency, the resort and Ongert for comment.
Tarik Skubal gets emotional during highly anticipated return to Detroit after blockbuster trade
Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Detroit Tigers that brought aboard two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.
Now, just weeks later, the Dodgers rolled into Motor City, and guess who got the start?
… Yes, Tarik Skubal.
Outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handed pitchers Brady Smith and River Ryan went the other way in the deal.
Skubal's return to Detroit came at an interesting time as the NL West leaders came into the evening fresh off of three-straight losses to the Atlanta Braves.
So, despite all of the emotions, Skubal had some important work to do on the hill.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Those emotions briefly got the best of him when the Tigers played a tribute video on the big screen. The right-hander got a little misty-eyed as fans gave him a standing ovation.
Detroit's Drew Anderson went through the first half-inning with a pair of strikeouts early, and with that it was time for Skubal to take the mound at Comerica Park in a Dodgers uniform.
A mix of boos and cheers as he walked out onto the field.
However, before he threw his first pitch, there was a light-hearted moment when Skubal's PitchCom wasn't working right.
The Tigers' second baseman, Gleyber Torres, was the first former teammate Skubal had to face, and it didn't go particularly well as he sent a pitch deep to center field over Dodger Alek Thomas' head for a double.
However, after that, he notched a pair of strikeouts and got out of the inning without allowing a run.
CBC releases policy change after controversy about refusing to refer to 9/11 as ‘terrorist attacks’
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation announced an internal policy change Friday, explaining why it had previously told reporters and editors to refrain from describing the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks as "terrorist attacks."
The memo was authored by Basem Boshra, CBC News' senior director of journalistic standards and public trust, and surfaced ahead of the attacks' 25th anniversary. The directive was first reported by Toronto Sun columnist Warren Kinsella, who said it was addressed to CBC News staff.
"Do not refer to the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist attacks," the memo said.
The memo instead described the events as hijackings that led to passenger jet crashes in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and Manhattan. It also said the World Trade Center was destroyed.
AMERICA’S HEARTLAND COMES FACE-TO-FACE WITH 9/11 HISTORY AS 25TH ANNIVERSARY NEARS
CBC released a memo Friday addressing the controversy that erupted as the 25th anniversary of the terror attack, headlined, "How and why CBC News will adjust its 9/11 language guidance."
"CBC News finds itself once again in a swirl of confusion about how our journalists use the words ‘terrorist’ and ‘terrorism,’ this time about the al-Qaeda attacks on New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001," it said.
"The confusion stems from the leak of an excerpt from our internal language guide that was published and amplified by a number of outlets without full context or explanation. It has caused significant concern, anger and hurt for many people who believe CBC News seeks to minimize or obscure the horror of that day and who was behind it," Boshra continued.
"That is the last thing we want to do. And our reporting on 9/11, through thousands of stories over the past 25 years, is an unflinching account of the devastating attacks by al-Qaeda, the hunt and prosecution of those responsible, the thousands of lives that were lost on that day and the incalculable loss and grief experienced by so many others as a result.
"And we intend to mark the forthcoming 25th anniversary of 9/11 with extensive, special coverage that will continue to respectfully and thoughtfully reflect on the monumental nature of this tragedy.
SYRIA OFF US TERROR BLACKLIST AFTER NEARLY 50 YEARS AS TRUMP ADMIN CLEARS INVESTMENT HURDLE
"CBC's reporting on terrorism, wherever it occurs, has always been guided by the principle of attribution, and like other major news organizations, it has been our practice for decades," he explained. "The reason for the extreme care around the use of the words ‘terrorist’ and ‘terrorism’ was detailed in this earlier editor's blog.
"But to be clear, CBC News has never said what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, was not terrorism, as some commentators have stated in recent days. We have reported fully and accurately on the reasons and motivations for those attacks as determined by police, governments and an independent commission. We've just made sure to do it with attribution," he said.
"Clarity and understanding are at the heart of our journalism. The leaked excerpt without context or explanation has raised more questions for the public that we must now answer," he said. "After reviewing our current language guidance, we have decided to adjust it to clarify that direct attribution is not required for describing the historic events of 9/11 as terrorism.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
"We are doing so to remove what has unfortunately (and unintentionally) become an impediment to clarity and public understanding," he concluded. "At the same time, as new acts of politically or ideologically motivated violence occur in our world, we will continue to follow the journalistically sound practice of attributing causes and motivations to officials and experts."
Lt. Col. Michael Schrama, a military judge, on Friday threw out a confession made by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
In his ruling, Schrama wrote that statements made by Mohammed to investigators in 2007 were not given voluntarily, according to the New York Post, complicating what has already been a decades-long wait for the suspected plotter to stand trial.
Earlier this week, Schrama set a trial date for June 2028 for Mohammed and three co-defendants.
Fox News' C.J. Womack and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Colorado Avalanche sign defenseman Cale Makar to record-setting eight-year contract extension
Hockey players are getting absolutely paid this summer, and for the third time in just a few months, there’s a new highest-paid NHLer: Cale Makar.
The Colorado Avalanche announced that they have come to terms on a contract extension with the two-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, and it's big.
How does eight years, $163.2 million sound?
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
That works out to an AAV of $20.4 million per year, an NHL record by a significant margin.
Markar's deal — which kicks in after this season — topped the contract extension that Sharks star Macklin Celebrini signed this summer at five years, $94 million, and an AAV of $18.8 million starting in 2027-28.
SHARKS STAR MACKLIN CELEBRINI JUST MADE AN IMPRESSIVE BIT OF NHL AND VIDEO GAME HISTORY
Celebrini’s contract topped the $18 million-per-season offer sheet the Philadelphia Flyers extended to Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson, which the Ducks matched.
With the league's salary cap continuing to go up, players' salaries will too.
But is it worth giving such a significant portion of a team's payroll to one player?
Well, in Makar's case, it probably is.
There are few players as valuable as a puck-moving, play-making defenseman who's still a solid defender on top of his offensive ability, and when you've got one of Makar's caliber, you do whatever it takes to keep him.
The numbers kind of speak for themselves: 507 points (136G, 371A) in 470 games.
Makar also quarterbacks the Avs' top power-play unit, and while the team was actually only 20th in the league last season by PP%, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better player in that role.
Of course, the pressure is now on even more than it already was. Makar helped the Avs win one Stanley Cup, but given the big salary, fans are going to expect the team to be a perennial contender and win another one.
Hochul boasts 'I just banned it' as New York outlaws local police partnerships with ICE
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday on "Morning Joe" that New York banned formal civil immigration enforcement agreements between local law enforcement and ICE because she wants officers focused on local crime.
A DHS spokesperson said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital that the restriction will force more federal agents into communities as 15 county sheriffs challenge the law in federal court.
"When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with DHS, our law enforcement officers have to have a more visible presence so that we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities," the DHS spokesperson said.
BORDER CZAR HOMAN VOWS TO 'FLOOD' NEW YORK WITH ICE AGENTS DESPITE HOCHUL'S RESISTANCE
"Seven of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE. Instead of working with us, Governor Hochul and Attorney General James are choosing to RELEASE violent criminals from their jails directly back into our communities to perpetrate more crimes and create more victims."
DHS cited five New York cases involving noncitizens who it said remained at large or were released despite ICE detainers after arrests or convictions involving attempted murder, rape, assault, weapons charges or child endangerment. ICE later took all five into custody, and one was removed to Mexico, the department said.
Hochul’s office responded to DHS’s criticism Friday in a statement to Fox News Digital, disputing the department’s characterization of the law’s public safety consequences.
"Governor Hochul has been clear: You don't make New York State safer by co-opting local law enforcement to conduct civil immigration enforcement that targets families, children and hardworking individuals," a Hochul spokesperson said.
"A federal court has already upheld New York’s Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, and the state will continue to work with federal and local law enforcement in cracking down on violent offenders while keeping our communities safe and enforcing our laws."
During the interview on "Morning Joe," co-host Willie Geist asked whether ICE could still secure agreements with New York police forces.
DEM GOVERNOR IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER TESTING LIMITS OF AUTHORITY WITH MAJOR MOVE AGAINST ICE
"I just banned it," Hochul said. "It's against the law now in the state of New York to have these agreements."
The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, signed in May, took effect Tuesday. It prohibits state and local entities from entering or remaining in 287(g) agreements, which allow trained local personnel to perform certain federal civil immigration functions under ICE supervision.
Hochul's office said the law does not prevent jails from notifying ICE about potentially deportable people in custody or transferring someone lawfully in custody to the agency, subject to local laws.
Existing corrections law also requires the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to notify federal immigration authorities after receiving a noncitizen into custody, the governor's office said.
NEW YORK SHERIFFS 'MAD AS HELL' AS HOCHUL PUSHES TO BAN KEY LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP
The federal lawsuit, led by Rensselaer County Sheriff Kyle Bourgault, claims the ban unlawfully overrides independently elected sheriffs’ authority and impairs federally authorized agreements. The state said Rensselaer was the only one of 12 agencies with a 287(g) agreement that had not indicated it would dissolve the pact.
Attorney General Letitia James sued Rensselaer County and its sheriff Thursday, seeking an order terminating the agreement. The action was the first filed by the state’s new Office of Immigrant Trust.
A federal judge earlier this month denied the Justice Department’s request for a preliminary injunction against the 287(g) ban in a separate case, allowing Tuesday’s deadline to take effect. That litigation remains pending, and the 15 sheriffs have separately requested emergency relief in their new case.
Measles deaths may have been 'fabricated,' RFK Jr claims after coroner raises questions
Days after Pennsylvania health officials reported two measles deaths, a public dispute has emerged about whether other factors played a role in the fatalities.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the two "measles-associated" deaths on Tuesday, noting that both individuals were unvaccinated.
These were the state’s first measles-related deaths in 35 years, according to the release.
That confirmation came after the county coroner — physician Stephen Diamantoni — said the newborn died shortly after birth from a lacerated spleen and had tested positive for measles acquired before birth, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Diamantoni’s office was still investigating the newborn’s death, and the coroner said he was not aware of the other reported death, Axios reported.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health stated that not all deaths are referred to a coroner under state law.
The DOH says it uses the term "measles-associated" when laboratory or epidemiologic evidence of measles is present, even if a coroner or medical certifier does not identify measles as the immediate cause of death.
Measles can affect the spleen, potentially causing enlargement and, in rare cases, rupture, according to Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst.
Pregnant women, newborns and young infants can face a higher risk of serious measles complications, the doctor noted.
Infants who are too young to receive the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine can be especially vulnerable.
COMMON VACCINE LINKED TO 24% LOWER DEMENTIA RISK IN OLDER ADULTS
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has questioned whether Pennsylvania officials provided sufficient information to substantiate the two measles-associated deaths.
In a Wednesday post on X, after the coroner’s comments were made public, Kennedy alleged that Pennsylvania had not given the CDC relevant information and suggested the deaths could have been "fabricated."
"The announcement appears to have been premature, and the deaths may even have been altogether fabricated by one of the Governor's hopeful staffers," he wrote. "The Lancaster County Coroner says that it has no record of any measles deaths."
RFK also accused Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and his office of "fearmongering, misinformation, finger-pointing and the weaponization of infectious disease fears for political gain."
Meanwhile, at a Tuesday press conference, Shapiro said the deaths showed the "real-life consequences" of misinformation about the measles vaccine.
In a subsequent X post, the governor claimed Kennedy had "stoked confusion amongst parents and others — and the result has been less protection from measles and more cases."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
In response to Kennedy’s comments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also spoke on X about the debate, expressing appreciation for RFK’s efforts to "clarify conflicting information" about the cause of the two reported deaths.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
"CDC is working to determine what actually occurred," the agency wrote. "These discrepancies raise important questions, particularly because the Governor’s Office has not provided CDC with information relevant to the outbreak and has declined our offers of assistance."
"Under President Trump’s and Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, CDC will follow the facts and tell the American people the truth."
Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen disputed the CDC’s account, saying the two deaths were reported to the agency’s measles response team early Tuesday morning.
In an X post from the Pennsylvania Department of Health account, Bogen said she had reviewed the case investigations and that state epidemiologists had thoroughly investigated both deaths. She confirmed that both individuals tested positive for measles.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Meanwhile, Lancaster County Commissioner Josh Parsons said he did not believe there was enough evidence to confirm the two deaths were caused by measles, citing information he said he received from the county coroner’s office, according to Local21 News.
Siegel noted that measles weakens the immune system and increases the risk of pneumonia, which can stem from measles itself or from a secondary bacterial infection.
"If the impact of measles on the immune system or stress on other major organs as a result of the disease leads to death, that would be a measles-associated death," he told Fox News Digital.
When a patient has both measles and another immediate cause of death, several considerations come into play when infectious disease specialists are determining whether the virus was a contributing factor.
"It has to do with whether the immediate cause of death is from measles itself, as in measles pneumonia, or due to damage to the immune system and secondary infections or other diseases that result," Siegel said.
Lancaster County is at the center of Pennsylvania’s current measles outbreak. As of Friday, the state had reported 424 confirmed cases and 73 hospitalizations.
Fox News Digital reached out to the involved government officials requesting comment.