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The Race to Find an Ebola Cure; Dallas Doctors Face Patients' Ebola Fears; Four More Airports Screen Travelers for Ebola; Kansas City Royals Head to World Series
Aired October 16, 2014 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: It's the bottom of the hour. And I'm Ana Cabrera in for Carol Costello today. Thanks a lot for being. It's Friday eve -- that's the good news.
The bad news is the latest case of Ebola here in the U.S. highlights just how urgent this crisis is right now. Since the start of the current outbreak, more than 4,000 people have died from the virus around the world. Nearly 9,000 have been infected, most of those cases in West Africa. And so the race to find a cure is on.
CNN's Brian Todd has new developments on that front this morning and is joining us from Washington -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ana, we've known about the Ebola virus for 38 years. But so far there have been no vaccines developed for public use. Now, two research facilities in the U.S. are frantically testing vaccines on humans for the first time. And we got access to one of them.
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TODD (voice over): An urgent need to find a vaccine for Ebola. In this U.S. army laboratory, vials like these contain the ingredients crucial in the race against the deadly virus. It's one of two Ebola vaccines now being tested in the U.S. for the first time on humans.
(on camera): Can the vaccine being tested here stop this outbreak?
DR. SHON REMICH, WALTER REED ARMY INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH: Well, it depends on how fast we can get this particular product through the regulatory pathway so that it can be used in efficacy-type trials. Right now we have to establish that it's safe.
TODD (voice over): Vaccine investigator Col. Shon Remich gave us inside access to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. The VSV Ebola vaccine is being tested here on 39 people. They cannot get Ebola from the vaccine. And officials here say the side effects are minimal. Experts say when Ebola gets in the body, it often overwhelms the immune system, works too fast for the immune system to combat it. This vaccine is designed to speed up the immune system's ability to fight Ebola. (on camera): If this vaccine works, could it be used to prevent
people from getting the Ebola virus and treat people who already have it?
REMICH: The majority of the studies we're looking at post exposure -- that means animals that were exposed to the Ebola and then treated. We also did some studies that looked at pre exposure. So we were given the vaccine -- they were given the vaccine and then exposed. Both of those were good results. And so we are cautiously optimistic.
TODD (voice over): Will it work in humans?
DR. JESSE GOODMAN, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST: To be very realistic. Most medicines and vaccines even that look great in animals don't pan out in the long run.
TODD: Even as they rush these vaccines through trials, there are serious questions over why it's taken this long. Even though we've known about the Ebola virus since 1976 there are no approved Ebola vaccines available to the public. Why? Experts say Ebola outbreaks until now haven't been widespread enough.
GOODMAN: It's not on the order or it hasn't been until recently of a problem like malaria, HIV or TB in terms of how people have prioritized investment in vaccines.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: How soon could these vaccines be ready? Dr. Shon Remich doctor says they're moving the vaccine at Walter Reed through its testing paces as quickly as possible. But he and other experts say even under the best of circumstances the vaccines being tested at the two facilities in the U.S. may not be ready for public use for several months. They simply have to make sure those vaccines are safe -- Ana.
CABRERA: Brian, could they test these vaccines even though they're in the trial process in countries where this outbreak is at its worst? Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia.
TODD: Likely not -- right. Probably not. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases, he says the testing cannot be done in those countries because the existing health care infrastructure there is not going to support the tests. But the two countries in the region that they approved, Gambia and Mali, they were selected for vaccine testing because NIH has longstanding relationships with researchers in those countries so those countries are where the vaccine is being tested now.
CABRERA: How interesting. Brian Todd, thanks so much. And good luck to those doctors and researchers.
This latest case of Ebola in the U.S. has now prompted school closings in two different states. In Texas, school officials have canceled class at multiple schools actually because we know two students were on the same flight as Vinson from Cleveland to Dallas. Also in Ohio, two schools are closed today near Cleveland because a staffer may have flown on that same aircraft that Vinson was on even though she took a different flight. But again, that airplane was still in service.
Officials continue to say there is a very low risk anyone was exposed to the virus on those flights, but they're still taking those precautions.
Still to come, Dallas doctors have a new duty, calm their patients of growing fears about Ebola.
But first, I know we've been talking a lot about Ebola today, this whole week for that matter. We're going to continue to do so. But it's also an important story and we need to give some context to it.
So far here in the U.S., only one person has died from Ebola. Of course, that is tragic. But keep in mind Thomas Eric Duncan, he contracted Ebola overseas. He was at his sickest when he was in that Texas hospital. And while he was being treated here, we now know two nurses directly involved in his care became infected. They're being treated as we speak.
Let's look at this from a wider perspective. 4,493 people have died worldwide from Ebola so far. The virus we know is concentrated in three West African countries. And what's happening there is just heartbreaking. The disease does need to be stopped, but keep this in mind. The World Health Organization says the flu kills up to half a million people a year. So that's just something important to remember, of course, as we're talking about Ebola.
We'll be right back.
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GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (AUDIO GAP) abdominal pains. She also has come in with her daughter, grandson and a question for Dr. Martin McElya which she's asking because of what so many in Dallas are talking about.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As far as Ebola, can you tell me, I guess, as far as the symptoms --
DR. MARTIN MCELYA, URGENT CARE PHYSICIAN: Usually pretty significant fever, over 101, 102, somewhere in the range. A lot of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting -- just feeling really crummy, really lousy, fatigue and symptoms that don't really get better with medication, don't get better with time.
TUCHMAN: Before this first Ebola case surfaced in Dallas, how many times had you been asked about Ebola?
MCELYA: Never.
TUCHMAN: But now Dr. McElya says many patients ask about Ebola and he works to make people feel more at ease.
MCELYA: You know, I reassure them. I say you're not going to get it from someone who sneezes across the room or because you're sharing an airspace with someone for an extended period of time. It's going to require more of an intimate contact and people seem relieved by that fact.
TUCHMAN: Some medical supply stores in Dallas say they have seen a spike in sales.
JENNIFER WILSON, ONE SOURCE MEDICAL SOLUTIONS: Well, they just want to put them on, don them very easily.
TUCHMAN: Can I help you.
WILSON: Yes, sure.
TUCHMAN: Jennifer Wilson of One Source Medical Solutions puts on three big sellers -- goggles, gloves and an isolation gown.
WILSON: Typically we only have purchases from clinicians, you know, medical professionals.
TUCHMAN: But is like an everyday person coming in saying I want some protection because I'm around some people who may --
WILSON: We do. We're having everyday people coming in saying I just want to have them just in case, just as added protection. And I think that they're just concerned. Percentage wise, I'd say just in personal protection items we've seen about a 75 percent spike.
MCELYA: Tell me what makes the pain worse?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think if I have something spicy.
MCELYA: Ok, got it. What makes the pain better? Anything?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
TUCHMAN: Keisha will have further testing for a possible gallbladder question. But the doctor told her this has nothing to do with Ebola.
MCELYA: Most people just want reassurance.
TUCHMAN: And these days in Dallas there's never too much of that.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Dallas.
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CABRERA: We're hearing from another doctor this morning, Dr. Kent Brantly. He is the American doctor who contracted Ebola while he was caring for patients stricken with this virus in Liberia. He was treated, you'll recall, at Emory Hospital in Atlanta where Sanjay has been reporting from this morning. He is virus-free. In fact, he has donated his own blood several times now to help treat other American Ebola patients. He spoke to Anderson Cooper about his recovery as well as his thoughts on what's happening there in Dallas with the health care workers contracting the virus. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. KENT BRANTLY, EBOLA SURVIVOR: I don't know when I'll say I feel back to normal. But my strength, my stamina, my energy are improving a lot. I feel a lot better than I did even two weeks ago.
You know, health care workers go into this profession to serve people, to relieve suffering, to cure disease, to come alongside people in the worst times of their lives. And now here we have a second health care worker in Dallas who was doing just that for a patient who was suffering greatly.
Until this epidemic is stopped in West Africa, it will continue to be a global problem. There have been suspected or confirmed cases in United States, Spain, Brazil had a suspected case. We're talking about three continents outside of Africa that have already been affected by this epidemic, this outbreak.
The answer is not simply close the borders and let them deal with it themselves. I think there's a lot of irrational fear about Ebola spreading to the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CABRERA: So good to see him looking so healthy and able to articulate like that. Still ahead here, more screenings at the airport are on the way; JFK, of course, led the way and now some travelers at four more U.S. airports will be screened for any sign of Ebola.
CNN's Rene Marsh is at Dulles.
RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Ana. Well, right now enhanced heat screening is under way at five major international airports as we speak. In the meantime, the CDC is considering new ways to prevent someone infected with the deadly virus from getting on a commercial plane. The details -- straight ahead.
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CABRERA: All right. So four more airports are beefing up screenings today for travelers arriving from West African nations that are hit hardest by Ebola: Washington Dulles, Newark, Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson and Chicago O'Hare, they're all joining New York's JFK now in screening these passengers from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
CNN's Rene Marsh is joining us from Dulles International Airport. And Rene, tell us a little bit more about what's being done to screen passengers there.
MARSH: Right. So Ana what we're going to see here at airports like Dulles, as well as the others we're talking about -- Atlanta, Chicago as well as Newark today, customs and border patrol officers using something like this, we've been talking about this, these are non- contact thermometers, doing these temperature checks. That's exactly what's happening in New York. It started happening today here at these other airports. They're going to be doing temperature checks only on those individuals coming from those specific countries, also giving out very detailed CDC health questionnaire asking about the type of contact they had with individuals over there, if they had or if they know of any contact they may have had with anyone who had this deadly disease.
The way the system is set up to work is the CBP officers, customs officers -- they're the ones on the front lines. They're visually looking at these people. They are the ones doing the temperature checks. If they see something that doesn't look quite right, they then flag a CDC representative who will be present, many of them will be present at all of these airports.
The CDC representative takes over, whisks that person off to a quarantined center which is right here on airport grounds gives them a closer look, a more detailed examination. And if they determine that person needs to go to the hospital, fire rescue emergency teams are here at the airport. They take over and they transport that individual to the hospital.
That is a process, that's how it's going to work. I spoke with the people here from Dulles today, so far they have not received any people from that region so they haven't had to go through that process just as yet, but they say they're trained and ready to go when those individuals arrive.
CABRERA: All right. You'll keep us posted on how it all goes. Rene Marsh, thanks so much.
Still to come, the Kansas City Royals giving their fans including a Hollywood star something to cheer about.
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CABRERA: Checking other top stories this morning. General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff now says the U.S. has a, quote, "winning strategy to defeat ISIS". Dempsey says he doesn't think the U.S. will need to send in ground troops. Those air strikes are increases. Coalition forces carried out another 18 airstrikes near Kobani, Syria on Wednesday in addition to some in Iraq as well.
Ashoka Mukpo, the freelance photographer for NBC News that contracted Ebola has now tweeted his support for those two Dallas nurses that have been diagnosed with the virus. He says "Wishing for a speedy recovery for those two Dallas nurses. This thing is not easy. You're both going to make it. Thanks for your bravery."
Get ready for Hurricane Gonzalo, headed right towards Bermuda. But Gonzalo, we do know is only expected to brush past the island. There is a chance the storm could turn enough to make a direct hit. We know on Monday the storm hit the Virgin Islands knocking out power, damaging homes and businesses as well.
Doesn't that just make you smile? All that cheering. Kansas City Royals fans so crazy, their team just won the American League championship. And so that means the Royals are heading to the World Series.
Here is why they're extra excited. The last time this team made it to the big World Series, a lot of these fans weren't even born.
CNN's Andy Scholes joins me now. That's a feel-good right there.
ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS: You know, they are very, very happy to see the Royals get this far -- Ana. You know, no one saw this run by the Royals coming. This is probably one of the most incredible runs in American pro sports history.
After sweeping the Orioles last night in the American League Championship Series the Royals are heading back to the World Series, first time in 29 years. Most baseball fans know the Royals as a team that's been one of the worst in baseball for nearly three decades. They've never had that big-time payroll like the Yankees or the Red Sox. Generally they end up finishing at or near the bottom of their division.
But for some reason everything clicked this year and they were able to win one of the American League wildcard spots. You know, making it this far for the Royals would have been remarkable anyway they did it, but this team is setting records.
The Royals are the first team in baseball history to start a postseason with eight straight wins. They've gone from the underdog to basically a team of destiny. Everyone in Kansas City is wearing their royal blue right now including actor Paul Rudd. He's a huge Royals fan. You have to check out his excitement after last night's game.
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PAUL RUDD, ACTOR: I'm going to be partying at my mom's house.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is everybody invited or just a select group?
RUDD: Party at my mom's. She's out of town. I've got a keg. It's going to be sweet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHOLES: Ana, the Royals could find out who they play in the World Series tonight. The Giants play the Cardinals in game five in that series and they lead the series three games to one. It's looking like it's going to be Royals-Giants right now unless the Cardinals make a pretty incredible comeback.
CABRERA: We'll see. Andy Scholes thank you.
Now, let's just keep this good feeling going and we'll end the hour with a little more fun.
Art usually left up to the observer's interpretation -- right. When that art involves a classic car and massive explosions, some say it's nothing more than a cry for attention. Here is Jeanne Moos.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Rolls Royce, an upper crust car for those with upper crust tastes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pardon me, would you have any gray (inaudible).
MOOS: Why would someone turn it into a crisp? 1969 silver shadow Rolls Royce with red leather interior.
Did it run well?
TYLER SHIELDS, PHOTOGRAPHER: Amazing. It drove amazing.
MOOS: L.A. Photographer Tyler Shields bought it for a mere $50,000. Took it out into the Mojave Desert and had the same guys who did the explosions in Pearl Harbor blow up the Rolls.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three, two, one.
MOOS: Police and a water truck stood by. The explosion was set to a waltz. It turns out Tyler is no stranger to destroying luxury items. Back in 2012 he took a saw to a $2,000 pair of Christian Louboutin shoes and he had his now ex-girlfriend saw apart what he said was a $100,000 Hermes Birkin bag. Then they lit it. His point?
SHIELDS: The things you own end up owning you.
MOOS: Tyler ends up owning up to sometimes harsh criticism after he blew up the Rolls.
Was there any purpose to this beyond, look at me, I'm an attention whore.
SHIELDS: The purpose is this is what I do. I make art.
MOOS: Pointless, pretentious?
SHIELDS: Those people are sitting there writing bull (EXPLETIVE DELETED) about nothing. This is just fun. I did this because it's fun and it's awesome.
MOOS: He's not really burning money because his photographs are shown in galleries and sometimes sell for thousands.
I think they feel that this is some kind of statement on materialism which it is, but that you will gain materially from it.
SHIELDS: Good for me.
MOOS: The demise of the silver ghost elevated the level of art criticism. It's enough to make a Rolls Royce lover Gray (inaudible) on his pants.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York. (END VIDEO CLIP)
That will do it for me. Thanks for joining me.
"@THIS HOUR WITH BERMAN AND MICHAELA" starts now.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: Hello there. I'm John Berman.
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