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American Morning
'Cafferty File'
Aired April 24, 2003 - 07:26 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Time to look into the file and the e- mail.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
HEMMER: Good morning.
CAFFERTY: Let's talk a little about the SARS threat this morning. The World Health Organization is reporting that so far there have been 4,200 cases of SARS, 250 deaths in 27 countries. And by far the biggest majority of those have been in China. But it's also hitting Toronto, Canada. The World Health Organization out yesterday with a SARS related travel advisory for Toronto. And the mayor of Toronto is furious, saying that the WHO is over reacting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEL LASTMAN, TORONTO MAYOR: I'm shocked that the medical evidence before us does not support this advisory and I am told they have never issued an advisory like this before in their history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAFFERTY: He may have a point. We want to compare SARS to some other health threats. And understand before we look at the numbers, I'm well aware you cannot contract AIDS or cancer by riding on the subway with someone. Nevertheless, look at these figures. Every day in the United States, every day 44 people die from AIDS, 109 people contract HIV. Let's look at cancer. Every day, 1,400 Americans die from cancer in this country, 3,600 Americans contract cancer.
Which brings us to the question of the day. We want to hear from you on this. Would you change any of your plans, any of them, because of the SARS outbreak? And you can e-mail us at am@cnn.com and we'll share some of the responses later.
Yes, it's a threat, and, no, you can't catch AIDS or cancer from, you know, going to a ball game. But nevertheless, the numbers are fairly stark when you compare them to other things.
HEMMER: So oftentimes, though, when we see these new diseases around the world, they get headlines and they get them in large part because there is such a great unknown.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Exactly.
CAFFERTY: Yes, and the news media jumps all over it like a bird on a worm...
HEMMER: Sure. Nonetheless, but...
CAFFERTY: ... and beats the story right into the ground.
HEMMER: But if you...
CAFFERTY: I mean we don't do that, but other news media do. The guys down the street.
HEMMER: But if you have it and you breathe on me, I'm going to get it and that's what's scaring people.
COLLINS: Absolutely.
CAFFERTY: Well, I -- two things. I don't have it and I ain't going to breathe on you.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: OK, Bill.
COLLINS: Thank you.
HEMMER: And the economic fallout is tremendous right now in Southeast Asia.
CAFFERTY: That's the problem.
HEMMER: Yes, big time.
CAFFERTY: All the publicity is killing these economies -- Canada, China. China lied about the whole thing to begin with so maybe they're getting their comeuppance for that.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 24, 2003 - 07:26 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Time to look into the file and the e- mail.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
HEMMER: Good morning.
CAFFERTY: Let's talk a little about the SARS threat this morning. The World Health Organization is reporting that so far there have been 4,200 cases of SARS, 250 deaths in 27 countries. And by far the biggest majority of those have been in China. But it's also hitting Toronto, Canada. The World Health Organization out yesterday with a SARS related travel advisory for Toronto. And the mayor of Toronto is furious, saying that the WHO is over reacting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEL LASTMAN, TORONTO MAYOR: I'm shocked that the medical evidence before us does not support this advisory and I am told they have never issued an advisory like this before in their history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAFFERTY: He may have a point. We want to compare SARS to some other health threats. And understand before we look at the numbers, I'm well aware you cannot contract AIDS or cancer by riding on the subway with someone. Nevertheless, look at these figures. Every day in the United States, every day 44 people die from AIDS, 109 people contract HIV. Let's look at cancer. Every day, 1,400 Americans die from cancer in this country, 3,600 Americans contract cancer.
Which brings us to the question of the day. We want to hear from you on this. Would you change any of your plans, any of them, because of the SARS outbreak? And you can e-mail us at am@cnn.com and we'll share some of the responses later.
Yes, it's a threat, and, no, you can't catch AIDS or cancer from, you know, going to a ball game. But nevertheless, the numbers are fairly stark when you compare them to other things.
HEMMER: So oftentimes, though, when we see these new diseases around the world, they get headlines and they get them in large part because there is such a great unknown.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Exactly.
CAFFERTY: Yes, and the news media jumps all over it like a bird on a worm...
HEMMER: Sure. Nonetheless, but...
CAFFERTY: ... and beats the story right into the ground.
HEMMER: But if you...
CAFFERTY: I mean we don't do that, but other news media do. The guys down the street.
HEMMER: But if you have it and you breathe on me, I'm going to get it and that's what's scaring people.
COLLINS: Absolutely.
CAFFERTY: Well, I -- two things. I don't have it and I ain't going to breathe on you.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: OK, Bill.
COLLINS: Thank you.
HEMMER: And the economic fallout is tremendous right now in Southeast Asia.
CAFFERTY: That's the problem.
HEMMER: Yes, big time.
CAFFERTY: All the publicity is killing these economies -- Canada, China. China lied about the whole thing to begin with so maybe they're getting their comeuppance for that.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
