July 4 heat delays America 250 celebration as State Fair guests share love of USA

The Great American State Fair was postponed Saturday after multiple people reportedly fainted onsite the day before, forcing thousands of visitors to pivot during celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary.

Friday's medical emergencies required onsite attention as crowds flocked to the nation’s capital for Independence Day.

The fair reopened later on Friday evening, but was postponed again on Saturday.

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Fox News Digital asked attendees what it took to get to the capital, and what they made of the closure.

"We are so blessed to live in the best country in the world," Whitney Thomas, a mother from North Carolina who traveled with her family for the Great American State Fair, told Fox News Digital on Friday.

Despite the weather closure, she said her family was able to enjoy the State Fair Thursday evening and planned to wait out the heat in nearby museums until the fair reopened.

"I wanted my kids, who are 9 and 10, to be able to experience this with us," she said.

Brad Shultis, a retired Marine who traveled from Stafford, Virginia, expressed frustration over the decision to halt festivities.

"You cannot tell me that America was won by shutting things down when it gets hot," he told Fox News Digital.

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"It gets hot and we shut it down because it's hot? Who cares? If it's too hot, stay home."

Shultis noted that he drove to Springfield and took the Metro just to be turned away right after buying lunch. He questioned the decision to shut down the celebration of America's 250th anniversary, arguing that if people find the weather too hot, they should simply stay home or seek medical help rather than forcing a mass evacuation for those who spent time and money to get there.

Wendy Lamb, who traveled eight hours from Connecticut with her family to support the state’s booth, noted that organizers were likely worried about the intense conditions and simply did not want visitors to suffer.

WHAT KILLED AMERICANS IN 1776? THE ANSWER IS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT FROM TODAY

While disappointed that her home state did not send official representation due to budget issues, Lamb and her fellow travelers refused to let the heat ruin their first trip to Washington, D.C.

"We’ve had a really, really fun time so far," added John, another member of the group.

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He said they plan to navigate the heat by moving from museum to museum and using the Metro system to stay cool until the gates reopen.

For these visitors, the setback was minor compared to the emotional weight of seeing the U.S. Capitol and the Rotunda.

"I mean we are so fortunate we are free, and yet we have people out there that hate our country ... it's very emotional," said Pat Lamb, who fanned her face to stop tears welling in her eyes as she described the pride she felt for the nation.

The decision to close the fairgrounds aligns with severe weather protocols designed to prevent mass casualty medical events.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extreme heat can quickly impair the body’s ability to cool itself, causing internal temperatures to rise faster than they can dissipate.

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When exposure to extreme conditions triggers a heat-related illness, symptoms can escalate rapidly from heat exhaustion — marked by heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea and fainting — to a life-threatening medical emergency, per the CDC.

The most severe risk is heat stroke, which occurs when the body's cooling mechanism fails entirely, potentially driving core body temperatures to 103°F or higher within minutes.

To prevent severe complications like permanent organ damage or death, the CDC advises that anyone exhibiting warning signs such as confusion, slurred speech or a loss of consciousness should receive immediate medical treatment.

Public health officials urge individuals in high-heat environments to seek shade, stay heavily hydrated, and identify air-conditioned cooling centers.

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Fourth of July fireworks pose hidden health risk for certain Americans, experts warn

Fireworks have been a quintessential part of Fourth of July celebrations across the nation for generations.

But as Independence Day festivities light up the night sky, the colorful displays can also pose serious health risks — especially to the lungs.

Nearly 300 million pounds of fireworks are released into the atmosphere each year in the U.S., according to the American Lung Association. This creates smoke filled with tiny particles, as well as gases like sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, which are "very harmful to our lungs."

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The smoke from fireworks can also release harmful metals, like aluminum, manganese and cadmium, into the air.

Some illegal fireworks may contain lead, which the association describes as "extremely dangerous" due to its potential to cause lasting health damage.

"Inhaling any of these chemicals can irritate the lungs, making it hard to breathe and causing serious health problems, which is why it is important to avoid firework smoke whenever possible," the group said in a public advisory.

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Air pollution levels increase by an average of 42% on the Fourth of July, according to a 2015 study.

Smoke from fireworks can worsen symptoms and cause flare-ups in those who have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

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Fine particle pollution has also been linked to more serious health consequences, including heart attacks, stroke, lung cancer and premature death, according to the American Lung Association.

The organization warned that children, older adults and pregnant women, as well as people with lung and heart disease, are especially vulnerable.

Dr. Afif El-Hasan, member of the Lung Association’s board of directors, shared some advice for high-risk fireworks spectators in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Instead of using fireworks at home, El-Hasan recommends watching them from a distance.

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People with asthma who use a rescue inhaler should keep it close at hand in case fireworks trigger wheezing or other symptoms, the expert advised. Wearing a well-fitting N95 mask can also help reduce exposure to fine particles from fireworks smoke and debris.

"If you are familiar with the area and the wind patterns, try to be upwind from the fireworks display and avoid areas where smoke may accumulate," he said.

The expert also recommends attending fireworks events with friends or family, so someone is available to help if a medical emergency arises.

"Make sure you have taken all of your preventative medication before a fireworks show," El-Hasan advised. "If possible, take a car to the fireworks display. Try to park as close as possible to the event in case you have to get to the car quickly."

The expert also recommends drinking water immediately after the show to clear the upper airway. Changing and washing clothes upon returning home can also help to prevent smoke particles from accumulating in the home.

If case of shortness of breath or chest pain, it's important to seek medical care immediately.

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What killed Americans in 1776? The answer is dramatically different from today

The leading causes of death have changed dramatically since America's founding 250 years ago, highlighting how far medicine has come.

Diseases that once devastated communities have largely given way to chronic conditions, data shows, reflecting centuries of breakthroughs in public health, prevention and treatment.

"The amount of changes that have happened over the past 250 years are immeasurable when it comes to life expectancy and disease," Kenneth J. Perry, M.D., an emergency physician in Charleston, South Carolina, told Fox News Digital.

5 OF AMERICA'S GREATEST MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS REVEALED AS THE NATION MARKS 250 YEARS

"Our life expectancy as a country increased from roughly 30 years at the time of the country’s founding to close to 80 years today."

Although there were no official national mortality records in 1776, historians agree that the following illnesses were responsible for the largest number of deaths.

These conditions had much higher fatality rates in 1776 because Americans had no antibiotics, few vaccines, no understanding of germ theory, no sterile surgical techniques and limited access to hospitals, experts note.

There was also a lack of safe drinking water, modern sewage systems and refrigeration, making it more likely for foodborne and waterborne illnesses to spread.

Patients also did not yet have access to blood transfusions, anesthesia and other lifesaving medical advances, according to the CDC, NLM and NIH.

The first official national mortality statistics were published by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1900.

The data points to the following leading causes of death in the 1900s.

Nearly one-third of all deaths were caused by pneumonia, tuberculosis and diarrheal diseases, and about 30% of all deaths occurred in children younger than age 5, records show.

The introduction of vaccines dramatically reduced certain diseases, including smallpox, polio, diphtheria, measles and whooping cough. In 1980, smallpox became the first human disease ever eradicated worldwide.

Improvements in clean water and sanitation also contributed to greater longevity, as cities built sewage systems, water treatment plants and indoor plumbing, according to the CDC. As a result, deaths from cholera, dysentery and typhoid fever fell dramatically.

Germ theory also emerged in the late 1800s, in which scientists discovered that germs caused disease. This led to vast transformations in surgery, childbirth, handwashing, sterilization and infection control, per NIH and the Science History Institute.

Routine screening has enabled earlier detection of breast, cervical and colorectal cancers, while improvements in surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapy have helped many patients live longer.

A recent analysis by the National Cancer Institute found that prevention and screening accounted for about 80% of the cancer deaths averted over the past 45 years for five major cancer types.

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In the 1940s, the widespread use of penicillin allowed for the treatment of diseases that were once fatal, including pneumonia, strep infections, wound infections and sepsis.

Advances in childbirth — including prenatal care, Cesarean sections, blood transfusions, antibiotics and neonatal intensive care — also dramatically improved maternal and infant survival compared with colonial America.

The mid-20th century also ushered in improvements in heart disease treatments. The use of CPR, defibrillators, coronary care units, bypass surgery, stents, statins and blood pressure medications helped to reduce cardiovascular deaths, according to the American Heart Association.

In a vast contrast to 1776, chronic diseases now account for most American deaths, because people generally live long enough to develop them.

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Current U.S. health data shows that the following conditions are now the leading causes of death.

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"The transformation of deaths in the last 250 years, largely from infectious diseases to currently chronic debilitating diseases, represents both success and new challenges Americans will have to face," Dr. Omer Awan, a physician and professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital.

The uptick in chronic diseases is driven not only by an increasingly aging population, but by people’s lifestyle behaviors, according to the doctor.

"The chronic disease epidemic has been fueled by lack of exercise, as well as diets rich in fats, salts and ultraprocessed foods," he told Fox News Digital. "This has also led to the rise of obesity, which contributes to many of the chronic medical conditions that are among the top killers for Americans in the modern era."

Public health advances can change the course of health for millions of Americans, Awan said.

"Just as vaccines and antibiotics prolonged life centuries ago, so can lifestyle changes, exercise and new therapies that target obesity — like GLP-1 drugs and medications that promote better metabolic health."

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Mystery parasite leaves Americans battling ‘explosive diarrhea’ as CDC investigates

Federal health officials are attempting to track down the source of a microscopic parasite that triggers prolonged gastrointestinal illness, as domestic cases begin to climb for the summer season.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had confirmed 145 cases of cyclosporiasis across 17 states as of mid-June 2026, all linked to infections acquired in the U.S.

The culprit is Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite known to cause cyclosporiasis.

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The hallmark symptom of the infection is watery, often "explosive" diarrhea that can last for weeks or even months if left untreated, the CDC says.

Other symptoms include severe abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue and significant weight loss.

The official outbreak season for the parasite runs from May 1 through Aug. 31, a window where warmer temperatures historically coincide with a spike in infections, according to the CDC.

Cases have cropped up in states ranging from Texas to Alaska. New York has been hit the hardest so far, reporting between 31 and 80 cases, followed by Texas and Illinois, which have each reported between 11 and 30 cases.

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While the infection can sometimes clear up on its own, it frequently requires antibiotics. Out of the 145 confirmed cases, 20 patients have required hospitalization, per the CDC.

No deaths have yet been reported. Patients range from 5 to 86 years old, though the median age is 42, and women make up 61% of the reported cases, data shows.

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The CDC, alongside the Food and Drug Administration and state health officials, is actively investigating several multi-state clusters, but they have yet to find a cause behind the spread.

"There is currently no evidence of a single, multistate Cyclospora outbreak linking all cases," the CDC noted in its surveillance report.

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The CDC advises anyone experiencing symptoms of cyclosporiasis to contact a healthcare provider for testing and treatment.

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5 of America's greatest medical breakthroughs revealed as the nation marks 250 years

America has been at the forefront of medical innovation since the nation's founding in 1776.

From groundbreaking surgeries to cancer breakthroughs, U.S. physicians have helped transform nearly every field of medicine.

As America marks its 250th anniversary, experts are highlighting some of the most influential medical innovations in the nation's history.

John Uribe, MD, orthopedic surgeon and system chief executive at Baptist Health Orthopedic Care in Florida, said he believes the greatest breakthrough in orthopedics is the evolution of joint replacement surgery, particularly of the hip and knee.

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"A generation ago, severe arthritis or joint damage often meant a lifetime of pain, limited mobility and loss of independence," he told Fox News Digital.

"Today, orthopedic surgeons can replace a damaged joint with highly durable implants, use advanced imaging and navigation, and increasingly rely on robotic-assisted technology to personalize implant positioning and improve precision."

Today, patients can walk the same day after joint replacement, return home sooner and recover with less disruption than in the past, according to Uribe.

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"Hip and knee replacements, arthroscopic procedures, advanced fracture care and spine treatments have allowed patients to stay active longer and maintain independence as they age," the doctor said. "The biggest impact is that orthopedic care can give people back parts of their lives they thought they had lost."

"For many patients, the goal is no longer just to relieve pain; it is to restore movement, independence and quality of life."

For most of America’s 250 years, mental illness was largely treated indirectly with medication, or not at all when medication was ineffective, according to Dr. Russ Voltin, a West Virginia-based practicing psychiatrist and medical consultant at BrainsWay.

The biggest breakthrough, Voltin told Fox News Digital, has been neuromodulation therapies like deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which are "clinically proven to non-invasively target the brain circuits involved in conditions such as depression and OCD, helping rebalance neural activity at its source."

"Mental health is brain health, and for the first time, we have treatments designed to address it that way."

A generation ago, a patient who didn't respond to medication had very limited options, he said.

"Today, a clinician can offer noninvasive brain stimulation in an outpatient chair – no anesthesia, no sedation, none of the prominent side effects of medication, and all with limited lifestyle interruption."

The FDA recently expanded clearance for an accelerated Deep TMS protocol that shortens the initial phase of depression treatment from about four weeks of daily visits to just six treatment days.

"For someone in a depressive crisis, this is the difference between waiting and getting better," the expert said.

In clinical trials, roughly 78% of patients reached remission and more than 80% were still in remission a full year later.

"As a clinician, that last figure is the one that matters most: People going back to work, repairing relationships and re-entering their own lives, not just scoring better on a questionnaire," Voltin said.

"The biggest shift is that for people who once cycled through medication after medication with no relief, durable recovery is now a realistic goal rather than a hope."

Cancer care has advanced dramatically over the past 250 years, with breakthroughs in prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment transforming patient outcomes.

Leonard Kalman, MD, acting system chief executive at Baptist Health Cancer Care and acting executive medical director at Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute in South Florida, said one of the most important breakthroughs in oncology is the understanding that "at its core," cancer is a genetic disease.

"Cancer can be driven by inherited germline mutations or by somatic mutations that occur in normal tissue and lead cells to become malignant," he told Fox News Digital. "That discovery has transformed how we understand, diagnose and treat cancer."

Today, physicians can cure certain leukemias and lymphomas that were "once far more difficult to treat," the doctor noted.

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"We can also extend life while preserving quality of life for many patients with metastatic cancers — including diseases such as lung cancer, melanoma and prostate cancer, where treatment options were much more limited a generation ago," Kalman said.

Many of those advances have shifted cancer care toward more individualized treatment, allowing physicians to tailor therapies based on a patient's specific disease.

"Advances in targeted therapies, immunotherapy, molecular testing and supportive care allow physicians to better personalize treatment, manage side effects and help patients live longer with a better quality of life, even when cancer has spread beyond the primary tumor," the doctor said.

Tom Nguyen, MD, system chief executive at Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care and chief medical executive at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute in South Florida, highlighted the ability to diagnose heart disease earlier and treat "even the most complex conditions" with safer, more precise and less invasive therapies.

"Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, but patients who once might have died in their 40s or 50s are now routinely living into their 80s and 90s with an excellent quality of life," he told Fox News Digital.

Procedures like open-heart surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, coronary stents, catheter-based valve replacement, advanced imaging and robotic heart surgery have "completely transformed what is possible," according to Nguyen.

"Robotic heart surgery is a powerful example of how far the field has come," he said. "For appropriately selected patients, surgeons can now perform highly complex heart procedures through much smaller incisions using robotic technology that provides exceptional visualization, precision and control."

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The biggest achievement, Nguyen said, is not only helping people live longer, but also helping them "live better."

"Today, heart and vascular specialists can perform procedures that would have seemed almost unimaginable just one generation ago," he said. "Patients are surviving heart attacks, valve disease, rhythm disorders and complex vascular conditions at rates that would have been difficult to imagine decades ago."

Success isn't measured only by survival, Nguyen added. "Our ultimate goal is to help patients feel better and return to the lives they enjoy."

Michael McDermott, MD, system chief executive of Baptist Health Brain & Spine Care and chief medical executive at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute, said the ability to safely operate on the brain is the greatest advancement in American neuroscience.

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"Less than a century ago, a craniotomy was an extraordinarily risky operation, and survival itself was far from guaranteed," he told Fox News Digital. "Today, advances in anesthesia, electrocautery, imaging, surgical navigation, brain mapping and intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring have transformed brain surgery into a highly precise and much safer procedure."

The ability to treat acute stroke in real time has been "equally transformative," McDermott noted.

"Using advanced imaging and mechanical thrombectomy, physicians can now remove a clot from the brain and restore blood flow before permanent damage occurs in many eligible patients," he said. "At the same time, innovations such as high-intensity focused ultrasound for essential tremor demonstrate how neuroscience has become increasingly precise and less invasive."

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Today, neuro experts can accomplish tasks that "would have been difficult to imagine just one generation ago," McDermott noted.

"We can remove blood clots from the brain during an active stroke, implant deep brain stimulation devices for Parkinson's disease, and perform highly sophisticated brain and spine surgery using advanced imaging, navigation and artificial intelligence," he said.

Advances like image-guided surgery, intra-operative brain mapping, neurophysiologic monitoring and radio-surgery allow surgeons to remove tumors more safely while protecting areas of the brain responsible for movement, speech and other critical functions, he said.

Beyond brain tumors, other advances across neuroscience, like corrective spine surgery, have allowed doctors to restore posture and mobility in patients with severe spinal deformities. Meanwhile, focused ultrasound can "significantly reduce tremors that interfere with everyday activities such as writing, eating or drinking," McDermott noted.

"Increasingly, our goal isn't simply to help patients survive – we're helping them maintain their independence, preserve function and return to the lives they want to live."

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West Nile virus detected in southern state as health officials warn residents about mosquitoes

Health officials in Nashville are urging residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites after West Nile virus was detected in mosquitoes for the first time this year.

The Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) announced the virus was found in a mosquito pool collected near Cass Street in North Nashville, marking the city's first detection of West Nile virus in 2026 and the earliest positive mosquito sample of the season.

The detection comes after health officials reported elevated West Nile virus activity in mosquito pools during 2025, when one human case of the virus was confirmed.

"We can all play a role in reducing the presence of mosquitoes in our community, making our outdoor areas both more pleasant and safer from mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus," Dr. Sanmi Areola, director of health at the Metro Public Health Department, said in a statement to Fox 17.

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"As our team educates those in the area where West Nile virus was found, we hope the rest of our community does what they can to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes this summer."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus is the leading mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Most people infected with the virus do not develop symptoms, but about one in five experience fever, headaches, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash. Fewer than 1% develop a serious neurological illness that can affect the brain or spinal cord, with older adults and people with weakened immune systems facing the greatest risk.

Public health officials routinely trap and test mosquitoes throughout the summer to monitor for West Nile virus activity. A positive mosquito sample does not necessarily mean people in the area will become infected, but it serves as an early warning that the virus is circulating locally.

In response to the positive test, MPHD said crews are distributing educational flyers in the affected neighborhood, increasing mosquito trapping, monitoring standing water and applying larvicide where needed to help reduce mosquito populations. The department said it does not spray insecticide to kill adult mosquitoes.

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Residents can also request a free backyard inspection from the department's Pest Management team to identify areas where mosquitoes may be breeding.

Health officials recommend eliminating standing water from bird baths, flowerpots, buckets, old tires, children's toys and other outdoor containers where mosquitoes lay eggs. Trimming overgrown vegetation around homes can also help reduce mosquito activity.

To help prevent mosquito bites, the health department recommends using EPA-approved insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, wearing long sleeves and pants outdoors during peak mosquito hours around dusk and dawn, and making sure window and door screens are in good repair.

Officials said reducing mosquito breeding around homes can help lower the risk of West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses throughout the community.

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Big Medicare change slashes weight-loss drug costs for eligible seniors

Millions of Medicare beneficiaries struggling with obesity could soon see the cost of weight-loss drugs plummet, as a new federal pilot program launching July 1 expands access to GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Zepbound for eligible seniors.

Through a new trial called Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, the federal government is now offering a selection of the brand-name medications to certain Medicare and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries for $50 a month, The Associated Press reported.

The covered medications include drugmaker Eli Lilly’s Foundayo tablets and Zepbound KwikPens and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy injections and tablets, all of which have been FDA-approved for weight loss, according to the report.

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The temporary program is set to run until the end of 2027.

This is the first time GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) will be covered by insurance when used solely for weight loss.

Prior to this new Medicare pilot, seniors who wanted to access GLP-1s for obesity alone paid about $1,350-$1,650 per month for Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) and about $1,086 monthly for Lilly’s Zepbound (tirzepatide). However, both manufacturers offered some cash-pay options that significantly reduced those prices for eligible patients.

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There are some parameters surrounding the coverage — older adults must have had a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher when they started GLP-1 therapy, or a BMI of 27 or higher alongside another health condition, such as a past heart attack or stroke or prediabetes.

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Those who already have insurance coverage for other diseases, such as diabetes and sleep apnea, are not eligible for the program.

There are more than 70 million Americans currently enrolled in Medicare, 10 million of whom are overweight or obese, according to Juliette Cubanski, vice president and director of the program on Medicare policy at the healthcare research nonprofit KFF.

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"For many older Americans living with obesity, this is a moment they and their families have been waiting for," Jamey Millar, Novo Nordisk’s executive vice president of U.S. operations, said in a press release.

"The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program offers a new, affordable path to an FDA-approved treatment that was previously not covered."

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Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said he hopes the program can help his agency collect data to potentially work toward longer-term coverage, while providing immediate relief to cash-strapped older Americans, AP reported.

"The sheer cost of these medications is a huge barrier to access," he said in a call with reporters. "That ends today."

Oz told reporters that CMS plans to "carefully track participation and outcomes" to see whether an extension of the Bridge program or another solution is the best way to move forward. He told AP a federal law permanently allowing the coverage is "not essential right now" but something "for Congress to debate amongst themselves."

"We can’t decide what’s going to happen long term with Bridge until we see some of the data," he said, adding that there are ongoing talks with drug companies to lower costs.

One potential concern is that older patients tend to have more adverse effects to medication in general , according to Dr. Micah Eimer, a clinical assistant professor of cardiology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

"Specifically, in our research, older patients on blood pressure medications were more likely to experience hypotensive side effects, such as fainting and dizziness, after starting a GLP-1," he said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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