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President Trump Awaits to Sign the $2 Trillion Stimulus Bill; Spain's Death Toll Outpaced China; The Big Apple Turned into a Huge Hospital Zone; Russia's COVID Cases Raises Eyebrows. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired March 26, 2020 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom. And I'm Rosemary Church.
Just ahead, COVID-19 has now killed more people in Spain than in China. What the government is doing to contain the crisis.
In the United States, more calls for desperately needed supplies to treat coronavirus cases.
And lessons from Germany. How early testing help to keep the death toll much lower than other neighboring countries.
Good to have you with us.
So, after days of bureaucratic bickering and an explosion in new infections, American lawmakers are a big step closer to sealing the deal on that sweeping $2 trillion dollars stimulus package. By far, the largest in U.S. history.
The Senate approved the relief bill just a few hours ago, it now heads to the House with President Trump vowing to quickly sign it into law. The big hope that it will blunt the economic blow from the coronavirus on what's become America's deadliest day yet in the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the head of the World Health Organization suggests some of the heartbreak we are seeing across the globe could have been avoided but he says it's not too late to lessen the blow. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: This virus is public enemy number one. It's a dangerous virus. And we have been saying to the world that the window of opportunity is narrowing and thee time to act was more than a month ago or two months ago. That's what we have been saying.
But we still believe that there is opportunity. I think we squandered the first window of opportunity, but we are saying today in my message, I made it clear that this is a second opportunity which we should not squander.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: And he is also warning of a major global shortage of medical supplies, and we have certainly seen that.
In Spain, the death toll is surging, the government reports more than 3,400 people have died, that means Spain has surpassed China's death toll. It's now the second hardest hit country in the world behind Italy. The government is extending its state of emergency through mid- April.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEDRO SANCHEZ, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I know the measure to extent the state of alarm is not easy. It's not. And together with the lockdown measure, they are not easy. It's not easy for the government to ask it, it's not easy for the M.P.s to concede it, but it's even harder for the citizens to assume it. And I'm convinced that the only efficient option against this virus is the social isolation.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Members of Spain's parliament giving health care workers a standing ovation there, but officials warn the outbreaks peak has yet to come.
So, let's turn to journalist Al Goodman, he joins me now live from Madrid. Good to see you, Al. Of course, with infection surging across the country, Spain's lockdown has been extended. What is the latest on those really shocking numbers, and of course, how is the government planning to try to contain this?
AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Rosemary.
The extension of the lockdown order was widely expected a moment, a rare moment of political unity, because socialist government is coming under increasing fire from the conservative opposition on how they've handled this.
Many people here in Spain are wondering whether the lockdown should have started sooner because the health minister on Wednesday, on national television said, officials now see that was a significant number of infections at the end of February, but the lockdown did not start until the middle of March.
And now, it's been -- now it will be a full month going through mid- April, through Easter. So, the government is trying not to play catch up and the death toll at more than 3,400 dead, has doubled. The number of dead has doubled just in a few short days since the weekend.
[03:04:59] And another troubling sign that of all the people who are infected, more than 10 percent of them are the medical workers themselves. The doctors, the nurses, the orderlies of the hospitals, people who work in the senior citizen's homes, because they say they have not had the proper equipment, the masks, and the gloves, and there have not been enough testing kits.
So, the government is now scrambling announcing on Wednesday of $470 million dollar deal with China to bring in millions of these types of equipments, masks, gloves, testing kits, and 950 ventilators which are also badly in need because the hospitals, which now include makeshift hospitals, in the major convention centers of Madrid and Barcelona.
Madrid has been the focal point, the hardest-hit place in the capital. But now, the second city, Barcelona, also getting walloped with increasing number of cases, increasing number of deaths.
Convention centers as temporary hospital set up by the military, hotels which are empty, no clients have been opening, reopening as makeshift hospitals with younger doctors just out of medical school, or just finishing medical school, staffing those.
So, a massive effort to catch up, but really a lack of medical gear has between the ventilators for the patients, the critical patients, and the masks and the gloves for the medical people, it's the lack of gear, and perhaps getting on a little bit later, according to many here that has really left Spain in a bind now that the key wave is coming. Rosemary?
CHURCH: And that is exactly the story everywhere, isn't it? These doctors, our heroes, need that personal protective gear and they need it to be manufactured. It is nowhere else in the globe.
Al Goodman, many thanks to you for bringing us the very latest from Spain. I appreciate it.
And there may soon be hope for Italy in the fights against this virus. An official at the World Health Organization says the number of new infections in certain regions could peek as soon as this week.
Barbie Nadeau has the story.
BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Here in Italy, we are in the middle of a critical week to try to understand if the effects of the lockdown have been working. Authorities are saying that this week we should see the flattening of the curve. We've had three days of a slowdown in a number of new cases. We did have a spike in the deaths, 743, over the course of a 24-hour of time, which is not good news.
But the fact that the new cases are starting to slow down is exactly what everyone in this country is hoping for.
CHURCH: And Italy's civil protection agency reported fewer cases on Wednesday than on Tuesday, meaning the numbers have been going down for four days in a row. Even still, the number of new cases were close to 4,000. Well, in the United States, there were 233 new deaths reported on Wednesday. The country's highest single day death toll so far. And the number of confirmed cases in the largest U.S. State, California, is now doubling every three to four days. But as Nick Watt reports, New York remains the epicenter of the country's infections.
NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are field hospitals in Manhattan, college dorms being converted, existing hospitals up in capacity, a navy hospital ship coming soon. But New York is still 20,000 beds shy of what they say they'll need.
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GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): Then we're looking at hotels, we are looking at former nursing homes.
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WATT: They had 4,000 ventilators, they bought 7,000 more, FEMA delivered 4,000, but New York is still 15,000 short.
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CUOMO: We are exploring splitting, where one ventilator could do two patients.
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WATT: All-hands on deck at this make-or-break moment. That's in a letter of New York's health commissioner just sent to everyone in the state with an expired medical license. But there is hope. The rate of hospitalizations in New York is now slowing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CUOMO: The evidence suggests that the density control measures may be working.
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WATT: Confirmed cases now spiking elsewhere, more than doubling in Louisiana since early Monday. And we're now about a month after Mardi Gras.
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GOV. JOHN BEL EDWARDS (D-LA): I happen to believe with people coming from all over the country and all over the world into New Orleans, that the fair amount of coronavirus was ceded.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATT: At least 18 more deaths reported today in New Jersey.
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GOV. PHIL MURPHY (D-NJ): We are now the second highest positive test of any American state.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATT: An Alabama newborn now in NICU isolation just in case after a nurse tested positive. The WHO now says the U.S. doesn't have to be the next global epicenter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You still have got the means of turning it around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATT: She says by testing, tracing contacts, isolating, and many of us continuing to quarantine as around half of all Americans are now under orders to do.
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CELINE GOUNDER, INFECTIOUS DISEASES SPECIALIST & EPIDEMIOLOGIST, NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: We're seeing a doubling once a day in deaths from coronavirus, the doubling time is only one day, and that is the worst in the world right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATT: Amazon, a crutch for so many staying at home is now dealing with coronavirus cases among workers in at least nine facilities nationwide. Walmart, Kroger, and others, now adding sneeze guards to checkout lanes.
Here in California, the governor says they have distributed more than 24 million of those N95 masks, he says they've ordered another 100 million and that's still in significant to our needs. He also said that more than one million Californians have filed for unemployment in the past 12 days or so.
Nick Watt, CNN, Los Angeles.
CHURCH: In the United Kingdom, the Department of Health and Social Care says another 41 people have died from coronavirus, bringing the total death toll to 463.
Now, to help a workforce already stretched thin, the government is looking for a quarter of a million volunteers to help support healthcare workers and the National Health Service.
Let's go live to London now, and CNN's Anna Stewart. Anna, I do want to first start with this very positive note, because the British company, Dyson, has designed a new type of ventilator. How many are they making? How soon will they be available, and of course, operational. ANNA STEWART, CNN REPORTER: The government put out a big call to
manufacturers across the U.K. to help them make more ventilators, Dyson was one of the companies answering that call. They've designed one that they say then can make very fast, and they can scale out they can make a lot.
The government order 10,000, so they are planning to make that, plus they are going to make an additional 5,000 that they are going to donate, 1,000 to the U.K., 4,000 internationally. And, Rosemary, it being Dyson, maker of those fancy vacuum cleaners and hairdryers, perhaps it will be quite stylish.
CHURCH: Yes, absolutely. But I mean, this is what is needed all over the world. So, if they can get that out fast, there might be some other countries knocking at their door.
Now, Anna, you and I spoke 24 hours ago about the government calling on retired medical workers to volunteer and help, and they stepped up, didn't they? What is the final number and when will they all be called upon including your own father?
STEWART: Britain's volunteer army is really great. The government asked 250,000 healthy people who can help with things like picking up medicine and food, and supplying them to people's homes. People that can't leave, the elderly, the people with pre-existing conditions.
They asked for 250,000. Within 24 hours they had over half a million. Incredible response. So many people want to help this national effort. As you mentioned, also, former medical staff being asked to return to work if they were retired within the last three years. My father is one of them. He has said that he will help. He is waiting for further instructions.
But also, quite aside from these more former volunteering roles, every community I see, people are helping each other, picking up food, calling your elderly neighbors, it's bringing about a great sense of unity across the country.
CHURCH: All right. Anna Stewart bringing us the very latest from Britain. And that's ending and starting on a very positive note. Many thanks. I appreciate it.
Well, as we've been reporting, the U.S. reached a new high for the number of coronavirus deaths in a single day after more than 200 were recorded Wednesday.
Global health expert, Dr. Peter Drobac joins us now for his take on the spike. Thank you so much for talking with us. I did want to ask you why you think the coronavirus is spreading faster in the United States than in other countries, particularly in densely populated New York City?
PETER DROBAC, GLOBAL HEALTH EXPERT, OXFORD SAID BUSINESS SCHOOL: New York City clearly appears to be the epicenter of the spread in the U.S. at the moment. But really the dynamics of what's happening in the U.S. are similar to what we've seen with this virus in other settings that we're just entering this exponential growth phase.
Now, we have seen a lot more testing than we did previously in the U.S., which is good, but could also make it difficult to interpret the rising number of cases.
But as you mentioned, the rapid rise of the number of deaths, 60 percent of all the U.S. deaths from coronavirus, altogether have occurred in the last three days, really suggest that we are seeing exponential growth.
CHURCH: And, doctor, Germany, perhaps, offers a great model for the rest of us. A population of 80 million people, they were tested back in January, and while the number of cases is high at around 37,000, because of that extensive testing, the mortality rate is less than 1 percent at around 200 deaths.
What can we learn from what Germany is doing? What is it exactly? Is it that early testing?
DROBAC: Early testing is absolutely been important. It does make it a little bit difficult to compare the two.
[03:15:00]
Germany, like South Korea, tested a lot of people who have no symptoms or few symptoms but might have been in contact with other infected patients. Whereas as countries like the U.S., unless you are very sick or a movie star, you are unlikely to get a test.
So, you are getting a lot more counted patients who have mild disease, and that's going to drive the mortality rate down.
However, this notion of widespread testing really does help with tracking the epidemic and with control, and that's something that I think would be absolutely valuable in the U.S.
CHURCH: Right. We're all learning lessons as we go along, aren't we? Because this is also new. But Italy is really suffering in the midst of this epidemic, as is Spain. Why is the impact of COVID-19 so much worse in those two countries do you think?
DROBAC: It's a really cautionary tale about what happens when you get behind this virus, and the importance of this notion of flattening the curve. Italy does have an older population and because this does tend to affect older patients disproportionately in terms of severity, that's a part of it.
But what really happens at this wave of cases overwhelms the healthcare system, and weren't really able to manage it. We've of course heard all of the really tragic stories coming out of Italy, but that really does drive up the death rate.
And this is important in the U.S., in the U.K. in places that are just a couple of weeks behind Italy, at how urgent it is that we take more aggressive measures to control the spread so we don't have such an overwhelming spike in cases. CHURCH: Right, indeed. And I wanted to ask you this, because
President Trump wants to get large sections of the United States back to work by Easter. That's certainly his hope, but America's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci has very politely warned against that, saying the virus makes the timeline on when to relax a public health, those public health measures. What is your reaction to any leader trying to open up their country for business before this is all under control?
DROBAC: I think it would be extremely dangerous. Every model that I have seen suggests that relaxing on this too easily could let this infection really ripped through the population in a way that could be -- that could be overwhelming.
We're talking about 60 percent of a population being infected. And even if you assume a fairly low death rate, in a country like the U.S., that's hundreds of thousands, or even a million or two deaths that could occur over the next couple of months if we didn't do anything to try to control it.
It's very important that we continue, and even increase these kinds of social distancing measures to suppress the spread of infection, at the very least this buys us time. It buys us time to reinforce our healthcare system and get health workers PPE, and it also buys us time for scientific discovery for vaccines and treatments that ultimately what's going to be needed to stop this thing.
CHURCH: Yes. A lot of buying of time and we thank you so very much for your great analysis. Dr. Peter Drobac, thank you so very much.
DROBAC: Thank you.
CHURCH: Dr. Sanjay Gupta will join Anderson Cooper for our next global town hall, facts and fears about the coronavirus. That is Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern in New York, Friday morning at 8 a.m. in Hong Kong. The program will replay at 9 a.m. Abu Dhabi time, 1 p.m. in Hong Kong.
And while numbers of cases soar around the world, Russia's numbers are relatively low. That is raising serious questions, especially as the country takes new extraordinary measures. We'll take a look on the other side of the break. Stay with us.
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CHURCH: A rare moment of bipartisan cooperation in the U.S. Senate late Wednesday in the face of the coronavirus. Senators voted unanimously to approve a $2 trillion dollar plan to boost the economy during the pandemic. It includes billions of dollars for direct payments to Americans, unemployment benefits, and loans to small businesses and distressed companies.
The House is set to vote on it Friday morning, and President Trump has said he will sign it immediately. Well, Asian stock markets are cooling off after U.S. stimulus hopes
fueled a two-day rally on Wall Street. The Nikkei has already closed down 4.5 percent.
So, let's go live to Tokyo with journalist Kaori Enjoji. Good to see you, Kaori. So, as we said we saw Asian markets rally Wednesday. It's a different story today. What might that signal?
KAORI ENJOJI, JOURNALIST: It just seems that the markets, Rosemary, it's one step forward and then two steps back with the expectations of the stimulus package moving the market sharply higher yesterday, today, the market has decided to refocus on the fact that businesses are shutting down because of the coronavirus.
And I think that was reinforced when the Tokyo governor had a press conference late last night but after the markets closed, telling people to stay off the streets and trying to encourage people to stay at home.
I mean, look, it's a beautiful spring day in Tokyo and this is cherry blossom season when people go out in force to enjoy them, and they really aren't paying attention to the advice from the government, who is -- which is alarmed that the cases and the number of cases of coronavirus are increasing.
And I think that the expectation that they may have to take more stringent measures is what's driving the market higher in Tokyo. So, we saw pretty bigger sell-off again, Rosemary, of more than 800 points for the Nikkei 225.
CHURCH: Right. And what is the latest on Japan's infections and how the government there is responding to this pandemic?
ENJOJI: Well, the concerted right now is the increase in the number of cases in Tokyo, the capital. Since Monday there has been a steady increase and when you compare it to the rest of the world it may not seem like much. I mean, 41 cases confirmed yesterday, but still, this is a hugely heavily densely populated city. And there are concerns about the pace of increase in the number of cases.
I also think that people are worried about what government that the government might declare a state of emergency because they passed a new law a couple weeks back that gave the prime minister authority to do so, to take a more top-down approach.
And I think this concern comes as the public has been growing increasingly nervous and anxious that the Japanese government has been behind the curve in their fight against coronavirus. First with the amount of testing, or the lack of amount of testing that they've been doing, the response in terms of closing the borders and restriction travel in and out of Japan.
The acknowledgment that finally came earlier on this week that they will have to postpone the Olympics, and I think they are aware of that criticism, and the fact that they are huddling together to set up this new headquarters at the prime -- with the prime minister at the helm that gives them the bureaucratic green light to declare a state of emergency is what's unnerving people here on the street.
I can tell you that the supermarket shelves this morning and last night were pretty much empty. People are lining up to buy basic supplies and we really haven't seen this kind of panicky mood in Japan throughout the weeks of this news.
So, I think the public is growing increasingly concerned, and also very confused, because you have the prospect of a possibility of a lockdown, yet at the same time the government is also saying that schools might be restarting in April. So, I think that confusion is also what's behind some of the panic that we are seeing at the average -- among the average public. Rosemary?
CHURCH: Yes. It is a shared experience right across the globe. Kaori Enjoji bringing us the very latest from Tokyo. Many thanks.
[03:25:04]
And Russia is suspending all international flights beginning Friday, the only exceptions to bring Russian nationals' home. And that comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared next week a stay-at- home week with pay.
Moscow's mayor has announced mandatory self-isolation for everyone older than 65, as well as the chronically ill. Officially, Russia is reporting less than 700 cases and that incredibly low number is raising suspicion, that maybe the Kremlin is not being entirely honest.
CNN's Matthew Chance has the details.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Does Russia have this coronavirus under control? Well, its Orthodox churches being still open, worshipers still kissing icons which are then disinfected. It's not a deal, but the church says it is trying to keep Russians calm.
"If we close the churches, our orthodox people could start panicking as they want to pray," says this priest. We'd rather they abstain from kissing the icons yet, it doesn't seem to be much to ask amid a viral pandemic.
But Russians have good reason to be uncertain of the threat. In a country of more than 140 million, and a vast border with China where the virus originated, fewer than 700 people have so far been confirmed as infected.
Officials say timely action to seal borders, quarantine infections, and monitor with face recognition technology, people who could spread the virus has spared Russia the catastrophe, now befalling other states.
Just like the church it's a message of calm, not caution that Russia's political leaders most want to spread. Even President Putin, 67 years old, so at high-risk has been declaring the outbreak under control. And better than in other countries, while pictured on state media meeting crowds, and shaking hands. It's certainly not social distancing.
But even the Russian leader admits the country's low official tally may obscure a much deeper crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Here's the thing. The authorities may not possess the full information because people, a, sometimes don't report it, and b, they do not themselves know that they are sick.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: And this is not the action of a governments relaxed about coronavirus. The new hospital being thrown up rapidly outside Moscow, which would significantly increase Russian capacity to cope with a surge of infections.
Kremlin critics including one doctor close to a leading Russian opposition figure suggests what's been happening in Russia up until now is a cover-up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANASTASIA VASILIEVA, HEAD, DOCTORS ALLIANCE (through translator): Doctors from hospitals are practically being turned into centers for treating patients with coronavirus are reaching out to us. Instead of honestly talking about this, the authorities are masking the assignment on beds and calling them beds for patients with pneumonia and acute respiratory viral infections.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: Russian officials denied there's been any misleading information. And in recent days, Putin has finally been shown in full protective gear visiting a hospital, engaging with this crisis. While the number of confirmed infections in Russia remains suspiciously low, it seems to be bracing itself for much worse to come.
Matthew Chance, CNN.
CHURCH: Well, Spain is now way beyond China when looking at the number of deaths due to the coronavirus. How leaders there are handling the virus. That's next.
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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: The Spanish government has voted to extend its state of emergency until mid-April to try to stop the deadly coronavirus in its tracks. That's because the virus there is spreading fast, even to the highest levels of government. The Prime Minister's office says the Deputy Prime Minister has tested positive. CNN's Christiane Amanpour spoke with the foreign minister about the crisis. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARANCHA GONZALES LAYA, SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER: We are confident that the measures we have taken on the health side, on the social side will help us in flattening the curve, 47 million Spaniards have been asked to remain at home, students are at home, hospitals are taking care of the affected -- the intensive care units are working at full speed, we have got a concentration of the problem in Madrid, in the region of Madrid, but we are confident, again, with this serious measures we have taken, we could see the curve flatten in the coming days. That is what we hope, that is what the entire nation is working for at the moment.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: But that already is a forward projection because your senior health official predicted that the peak might happen today. And instead, as you say, it is being pushed forward. And you talk about desperate measures. It is, I mean it is awful to say, but you have now overtaken Wuhan, the Chinese epicenter, in terms of the number of Spaniards dead.
What are you doing to try to deal with that? We have talked about an ice rink being converted as a morgue, but what about your hospitals? Your health care workers? To the have the right equipment?
GONZALES LAYA: Well, what we have done is take a very severe health measures. First, we have a solid health care system which is obviously being put to the test. Which, in certain parts -- especially in certain parts of the country, where the coronavirus is hitting hardest, as I said like in Madrid, like in the Bus country, and now a little bit in Catalonia.
What we have done is the most serious cases are treated in the hospitals. And the most serious of the most serious in the intensive care units. Those that are not severely affected remain at home and doctors treat them. They are providing the medicines and the care that they need in their homes. At the same time, we are taking a very serious measures to ensure there is no physical contact, and through that we contain the contagion of the virus among the population.
But again, it is every country will see a new record broken. Italy broke China, we are coming after Italy, the U.S. is coming after us. Germany is coming after the U.S. It is a pandemic, and every countries is having to cope with it. I only hope that what we are doing can serve, can help other countries that are coming after us in learning the good lessons of how to treat it.
And for us, the good lesson is a solid health care system, very severe measures of isolation of the civilians, and obviously, full equipment for the hospitals and the medical staff that are working flat out at the moment to help all of our citizens in Spain.
AMANPOUR: Talking about severe measures and lockdown, your parliament is debating whether you should continue it because the first lockdown took place on March 14th, and is due to expire this Saturday. Will it continue? Do you expect the quarantine and the lockdown to continue? GONZALES LAYA: Yes. There is a consensus in the country for the
lockdown to continue for two more weeks. And we are doing this in full consensus of the political spectrum, talking with all of our regions, talking with all the political parties in the country, the consensus is that we need to keep the lockdown, because this is what is going to help us flatten the curve.
[03:35:09]
But again, with this happening in Spain, it is not extraordinary. It is happening in every country. We have to see a peak before we see the curve flatten. For us, what is important, now is to put all the energy of our 47 million citizens, in an effort of citizenship, with very heavy health care facilities working at full speed to the objective of flattening the curve. It is a national struggle what we are doing, and I am confident that all of us rowing in the same direction, we'll get there.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Well, Germany, has one of the highest numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 31,000 infections. But the World Health Organization is only reporting around 149 deaths there. It raises the question, what is Germany doing that other nations are not doing? CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports from Berlin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In a race against time, a critically ill patients from France makes it to Germany, where hospitals are not yet overwhelmed despite some of the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world. A fact that baffles many, even Germany Center for Disease Control, the Robert Koch Institute as they try to explain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): In Germany, we tested widely from the start and that is why we discovered the virus early. And we also discovered many mild cases through it.
PLEITGEN: While the Trump administration took time to initiate mass coronavirus testing, the Germans began their campaign in early January. With the population of around 80 million, Germany says it can test about 160,000 people a week. That means fewer infections missed. While Italy acknowledges their actual number of people carrying the virus could be a 10 times higher than the number of confirmed cases, the Germans believed they have missed a fewer people who contracted covid-19.
But, some of it also appears to be pure look, Berlin says. The coronavirus has simply infected younger and healthier people in Germany than in many other countries.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Not many old people are ill in Germany yet, which is also a factor that results in deaths and age fluctuations. PLEITGEN: Germany also has a strong health care system with one of
the highest numbers of intensive care beds and ventilator's in the world, and it is currently working to double the capacity. Ahead of a Munich clinic dealing with at least 100 coronavirus patients tells me getting critically ill patients top notch care without bottlenecks is also key to keeping many alive.
DR, CLEMENS WENDTNER, MUNICH SCHWABING CLINIC: We have already cases just coming back from intensive care units who are on the watch, so telling us it is possible to save lives once we get the right treatment and intensive care treatment, earlier not to rescue the patient.
PLEITGEN: But of course, Germany's response is not flawless. There are many people in this country who wanted to get tested for coronavirus but were not able to because of limited capacities. Even the German government warns the worst might yet still come. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: For several days, China has been reporting zero new cases of locally transmitted infections. But now, as the country begins to ease its travel restrictions, there are concerns it could see a rise in important cases. On Wednesday the top American expert on infectious diseases said the situation in China illustrates why it is important to carefully decide when to lift restrictions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALERGY AND INFECTOUS DISEASE: Our Chinese colleagues are very concerned because they went through the entire cycle of the curve to come down. They have very, very few cases. But what they are starting to see, as they are relaxing, the constraints on travel, that they are getting imported cases, and they wanted to warn us that when we get successful, make sure you very carefully examine how you are going to release the constraints on inputs, so, I know we are going to be successful in putting this under control, but I think we are going to have to remember we don't want to import cases in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: And as life in China slowly returns to normal, there has been a lot of finger pointing between Beijing and Washington over the origin of the outbreak. CNN's Steven Jiang has more on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVEN JIANG, CNN PRODUCER: The U.S. and Chinese governments have been engaged in a war of words for some time over whom to blame for this global pandemic. From Beijing's perspective, it was the U.S. that began a smear campaign against the country in its containment efforts, so they were forced to respond.
[04:40:00] But from Washington's point of view, as President Trump said, he began
using the term Chinese virus after Chinese officials, including a foreign minister spokesman tweeted about this conspiracy theory that the U.S. Army may have brought the virus to Wuhan last year.
But now, we are seeing signs that both sides may be willing to de- escalate the tensions, at least for now. The Chinese ambassador to the U.S. in a recent interview distance himself from the conspiracy theory, and the foreign ministry spokesman's assertions, and President Trump shortly after that saying he would stop using the term Chinese virus, because he had made his point, and he would now start making a big deal out of it.
But still, there are mixing nose on both sides. In China, state media outlets continue to push out a different narrative and furies against the U.S., while in the U.S., the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, continues to highlight what he calls a massive disinformation campaign from Beijing did not only sell doubt and confusion over the origin of the virus, but also to damage the U.S. on the international stage while portraying China as irresponsible world leader in its response to this virus, even though in Pompeo's words, there was plenty of evidence to show where Beijing's cover-up and the mishandling of this crisis initially.
So, it's going to be a very interesting to see what President Xi Jinping of China and President Trump are going to say at this virtual G20 summit later on Thursday. Both are going to attend, are they going to reach some sort of agreement? Or even issue some sort of joint statement on this virus? It is going to be something a lot of people are going to pay a lot of attention to. But at least, for now, a lot of experts agree, this is not the time to assign blame. This is time for the international committee to work together to fight this global pandemic and China, being ahead of the curve, does how valuable lessons and experiences to offer. Not to mention the surplus of medical supplies. It is something that the rest of the world now desperately needs. Steven Jiang, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Critics are accusing Mexico's president of acting recklessly during the coronavirus outbreak. Meeting with children and dismissing the gravity and the danger of the pandemic. CNN's Matt Rivers is in Mexico City.
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MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Although he has changed his tone over the last several days, there are a lot of concerns here in Mexico that perhaps the damage has already been done by Mexican President Lopez Obrador. Just consider this video, taken five days ago, posted to the president's Twitter account. Five days ago, most if not all world leaders, should've been aware that this outbreak, of this coronavirus, is extremely serious, it's very contagious. And yet, here is the president standing in the middle of a group of children, playing instruments. A few days earlier, he was at a press conference. He was asked by
reporters about this virus, and he held up two amulets, and said those amulets, in conjunction, with his honesty and his inability to become corrupt would help protect him from this virus. Now, over the last several days, the number of positive cases here in Mexico has nearly doubled as a result, the federal government has taken further actions. They've close some schools, they've shuttered certain businesses, they have encourage people to stay at home.
But, you know, there are still a lot of people that remain out on the street. One of the world's worst country outbreaks right now in the United States just north of Mexico's northern border is going on right now, and as a result and many people here in Mexico who would say that the president's actions over the last several days have been nothing short of irresponsible.
Meanwhile, in Brazil, that country's president Jair Bolsonaro gave a 4.5 minute addressed to his country on Tuesday night, where he said that the media was helping fuel this crisis by spreading hysteria and fear. And he also said that he criticized certain local governors and states across Brazil for actually taking preventative measures like closing down businesses and forcing stay at home orders, closing down schools. He specifically said, that of the threat to this virus, in his, words was greatest to people over age 60, then the schools should be open at this point.
And this all comes as Brazil is the leading country in Latin America in terms of a number of positive cases, nearly 2500 at this point. They also have the most deaths in this region, and yet Brazil's president wants his citizens to believe that this crisis is being fueled by the media, and by his political enemies. And not by a legitimately very contagious deadly virus. Matt Rivers, CNN, in Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: We will take a short break here. Still to come, India gets tough on people violating its coronavirus lock down. Dramatic images show how police is using extreme force. We are live in New Delhi in just a moment.
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[03:45:00]
CHURCH: In a surprise move, the man accused of murdering 51 people at two mosques in New Zealand last year has changed his plea. After pleading not guilty to 92 charges last year, he is now pleading guilty on all counts including one terrorism charge. He is expected back in court in May, but it is unclear when he will be sentenced. New Zealand's Prime Minister welcomed to the guilty plea saying it would provide relief to the loved ones of those killed.
Well, the family of a former FBI agent who disappeared in 2007 believes he is dead. Robert Levinson was on unauthorized mission for the CIA, he vanished after traveling to an island under Iranian control. He was last seen in 2010, appearing in a hostage video. His family says information from U.S. officials suggest he died in Iranian custody. Iran, however, continues to insist Levinson has never been in Iranian custody.
In India, police are using extreme force against people violating the country's mandatory coronavirus lockdown. Dramatic images show baton wielding police beating offenders, breaking the rules across several cities. Right, now India is on an unprecedented 21 day nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of the virus. India's lockdown is considered the world's largest covering about 1.3 billion people.
And CNN producer Vedika Sud joins us now from New Delhi, with more on all of this. Vedika, what is the latest on the lockdown and these extreme measures of enforcement across India?
VEDIKA SUD, CNN PRODUCER: Well, 1.3 billion people is a lot, isn't it, Rosemary? And that constitutes 17 percent of the world's population as well. This is one of the incidents is taking place, but he has tough measures are in place. You don't see cars on the roads, and of course public transport has been shut down as well, since it is a nationwide lockdown as of now. The figures have gone up to 649 cases since yesterday, that's 43 cases already as far as the surge is concerned. And this is just the beginning of the day here in India.
Also, we do have the national capital lockdown being taken very seriously. The Delhi chief is coming out, remember this is day two. A lot of people are struggling with getting groceries and vegetables and the basic amenities that are needed on a day-to-day basis.
[03:50:05]
So, the Delhi chief has come out and he said you know what, we are going to be issuing e-passes for people who need to venture out. You need to go on to a mobile app and you need to just download it. So, things are now becoming clearer over the second day, 48 hours after the lockdown for people.
But clearly, the biggest challenge remain two big ones. One, the economy is going to take a massive hit like the Prime Minister said, initially. And secondly, what about the people in the rural areas, the populations is high in rural areas than in urban areas in India, the challenge really lies there. How will you make sure that those people do not contract the viruses that you have eight to 10 people living inside a small house in rural areas?
CHURCH: That's a very important point. And Vedika, we are also hearing about some Indian citizens discriminating against doctors, simply because they are treating coronavirus patients. What do you know about that rather disturbing trend?
SUD: Well, they are heroes across the world, and that is the way they should be treated, Rosemary. But here in India, I think it is the panic factor that has led to it. There is a stigma along with it because you have a lot of people who are very conservative in their outlook. It is not just the doctors who are on the frontlines, it is also air crew that has been subjected to such discrimination. People have been writing to the Prime Minister, the whole minister, the health minister talking about it.
In fact, you have the Prime Minister coming yesterday through Twitter, appealing to people why he was video conferencing with his constituency, treat them like gods, the other ones are saving you, the other ones are at the front line. And I hope this message is a deal to the people of India because you have air crew, you have doctors who are being asked to move out of their homes that they have taken on rent. They have nowhere to go, they spend hours in hospitals treating people, not bothering about their own lives, and then they are subjected to such discrimination, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Totally unacceptable given what all of these doctors are having to go through, saving people's lives. Vedika Sud, many thanks to you, bringing us the very latest from New Delhi. I appreciate it.
And in the final hours before a national lockdown, Cape Town, South Africa's homeless population feels forgotten and afraid. Some are refugees who have been running from violence for years. David McKenzie reports now they are facing a pandemic while living on the streets.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The lockdown announcement came, Linda Mbombo had one thought.
LINDA MBOMBO, REFUGEE: We don't know if they are thinking about us, the South African people.
MCKENZIE: For months, she and her children have been sleeping on this sidewalk. It started as a protest against xenophobic attack against them. Has morphed into a community of refugees, hundreds of Central Africans homeless in Cape Town.
MBOMBO: Being a foreigner in South Africa is like a death sentence for you. You don't have peace.
MCKENZIE: Peace, is what she has been searching for. Ever since fleeing the Democratic republic of Congo years ago.
MBOMBO: I couldn't stand there because my husband, since they took him one night and since then I never where he is, our life has always been, I don't know.
MCKENZIE: Now with the lockdown just hours away, there is still no peace. Just a new enemy. And even more uncertainty.
MBOMBO: We are also scared to be in this place. Anytime the sickness can just attack anyone from us here.
MCKENZIE: With crowds at more than 100 were first declared illegal, Papy Sukami says that authorities told him to disperse. When they didn't, he says the city erected metal fencing.
PAPY SUKAMI, REFUGEE LEADER: The city of Cape Town put this as a protection to isolate people. This is a joke, it is really a joke. They are supposed to fight and shelter us for this people, where they can wash their hands, they wash their bodies and they can be healthy, if coronavirus arrive today, people are going to die.
MBOMBO: They leave us here. We don't know for what. The promise shelter, we accept the shelter. We said if it now, if it will bring a bus to take us to a shelter, we will go.
MCKENZIE: The President Cyril Ramaphosa said they will look to identify temporary shelters.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel for the people who are in that situation.
MCKENZIE: At the moment, official JP Smith says there are around 172 available shelter beds for the cities close to 5,000 homeless population. Not nearly enough for everyone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Many are holding out for something better, either accommodation or relocation to another country. Neither of those are legally or possible or viable for a whole range of complicated reasons.
MCKENZIE: So as South Africans prepared to stay at home, the question still remains, what will the government do for those without one? David McKenzie, CNN, Johannesburg.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Well, the coronavirus may be spreading around the globe, but so is something else. An overwhelming appreciation for health care workers. That's next on CNN Newsroom.
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[03:55:00]
CHURCH: The world saluting our medical professionals, such a noble profession and to find out how you can help feed the hungry, protect health care professionals, and more, you can visit our impact your world website at CNN.com/impact. Thank you so much for joining us, I'm Rosemary Church. I will be back with more CNN Newsroom in just a moment. Do stay with us.
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