Return to Transcripts main page

Wolf

Police on Streets of Hong Kong; Alarming Ebola Outbreak Numbers; U.N. Worker Dies from Ebola in Germany; U.S. Response to Ebola; Kim Jong-un Pictures; Should Local Hospitals Be Treating Ebola Patients; More Than Air Strikes on ISIS; Burgess Says Screening Policy Would Help; Ebola Screening Policy; Kim Jong-un Reappears; Iran ISIS Fight

Aired October 14, 2014 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, a United Nations employee with Ebola has died, while an American fights for her life after contracting the deadly virus. We're live with how countries around the world are trying desperately to stop the spread.

ISIS terrorists weave their way through the key border town of Kobani. Kurdish fighters do everything they can to fight them off but is it enough? We'll ask the former NATO supreme allied commander, retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark.

And uniformed police with batons out on the streets of Hong Kong, these pictures just coming in. We're watching as tensions rise right now.

Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Washington, 7:00 p.m. in Madrid, 8:00 p.m. in Damascus, 1:00 Wednesday morning in Hong Kong. Wherever you are watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

We begin with some alarming numbers out today on the Ebola outbreak. According to the World Health Organization, there are almost 9,000 cases of suspected Ebola in West Africa, 4,447 of them have resulted in deaths and that number is expected to grow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. BRUCE AYLWARD, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WHO, POLIO AND EMERGENCIES: Some of the projections that we've been doing, in terms of case numbers, et cetera. And, again, it's impossible to look in a glass ball and say, we're going to have this many or that many. But we anticipate the number of cases occurring per week, by that time, is going to be somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 a week. You know, it could be higher, it could be lower. You know, but it's going to be somewhere in that ballpark.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Health officials say there are at least 16 confirmed cases of the virus in the United States and Europe, that includes patients who have recovered, those currently in treatment as well.

Also, there's been one death in the United States, two in Spain and one in Germany.

We have team coverage with our reporters all over the world. Elizabeth Cohen is in Dallas where the first American to contract Ebola is now hospitalized. Nic Robertson is in Spain where a nurse's assistant, who was the first person to contract Ebola in Europe, is still in serious condition. And Fred Pleitgen is in Germany where a United Nations worker has now died from Ebola in a hospital.

Let's go to Elizabeth in Dallas first. What are you -- they telling you about the condition of Nina Pham, that 26-year-old nurse?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we haven't gotten an update today. But yesterday, we were told that she was in stable condition. We did, however, get a statement from Nina Pham. It arrived through the hospital. In it, Nina Pham says, I'm doing well and want to thank everyone for their kind wishes and prayers. I am blessed by the support of family and friends and blessed to be cared for by the best teams of -- team of doctors and nurses in the world here at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas -- Wolf.

BLITZER: The CDC, as you know, Elizabeth, they are rethinking its protocol after Nina Pham was infected with Ebola, despite wearing that protective gear. What are some of the approaches they are thinking about the changes?

COHEN: You know, one of the changes they're thinking about is when a health care worker comes out and they've got contaminated gear -- and not to be too graphic but Ebola patients put out high, high volumes of liquids. So, they're -- it can get very messy. That maybe they need to be sprayed down with a disinfectant spray before they take those clothes off. Another change they're thinking about, maybe fewer hospitals should be treating Ebola patients, hospitals where workers have drilled over and over again how to use this gear which, by the way, Wolf, is very difficult to use.

BLITZER: All right. Stand by, Elizabeth, in Dallas. I want to go to Nic Robertson in Spain. There was a news conference, as you know, Nic, today. What did the health authorities there say?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPNODENT: Wolf, they say that they're ramping up Spain's preparedness to deal with infectious diseases like Ebola. They say they're going to establish 17 regional centers. That's one center for each of Spain's regions. They have the hospital here in Madrid. They're going to repeat what they have here across the country. They're going to do more training for ambulance workers, even for firemen and others in the front lines perhaps who are going to pick up Ebola patients so they are more ready.

But what they are saying here, what health officials are saying here is something that echoes sentiments across Europe and that is that they cannot relax their guard while the infection rate is so high in Africa. This is what they're saying.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO ANDREU, DIRECTOR, CARLOS ILL HEALTH INSTITUTE (translator): Until we start to diminish the outbreak, we have to contemplate the possibilities of imported cases. And for that, our health care system has to be perfectly prepared.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: So, it still has some way to go, according to health care officials, to do that. We've also heard from the doctor treating Teresa Romero in the hospital behind me here. The doctor says Teresa Romero is actually helping the doctor and the nurses treat herself to stop them, to prevent them getting more exposed to Ebola. This, she says, because she is not just the doctor treating Teresa Romero, the nurses' assistant, she is a friend. She knows all those people who are helping her, and she's trying to spare them any chance of extra infection -- Wolf.

BLITZER: We know her husband has written a scathing letter, Nic. Tell us about that.

ROBERTSON: Yes, he wrote a scathing letter to the regional minister of health here telling him that he should resign. Well, the minister of health has responded to that now. The minister of health actually had his own letter published by a national newspaper here, essentially a mea culpa, saying, if I have offended you, Teresa Romero and her husband, Javier Limon -- if I have offended you by something that I have said, then I apologize for that. He said, Teresa Romero is doing great work as are all the other health care professionals here working on Ebola. So, something of a climb down and an apology from the regional health minister for what he had said that so offended and even criticized Teresa Romero -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Let's hope Teresa is going to be OK. Nic, stand by over there in Spain.

Fred Pleitgen is joining us. What do we know, Fred, about the latest Ebola victim that was brought to Germany? That's where you are. How was he doing leading up to the death? Because, obviously, very sad news.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, very sad news. And the authorities here are saying that he was in very critical condition when he arrived in Leipzig, in Germany. It was from a special flight that came in from Sierra Leone.

Now, there was T.V. footage that actually surfaced of him getting off the plane. He was in a protective suit. He was able to get off the plane walking under his own power but clearly walking in a very weak sort of fashion. What the hospital did, then, is they put him in an isolation ward. And they say they treated the symptoms. They especially tried to keep him hydrated. We heard from Elizabeth right, of course, right there, that these patients tend to lose a lot of bodily liquids.

And they also say that they tried some experimental drugs as well. All of this, of course, Wolf, as we know now, to no avail. He died last night from the Ebola virus. And what the hospital now is doing is they're trying to reassure the German public that Ebola is not going to spread outside this hospital ward. They've detailed all the measures that the staff there took, anyone who dealt with this patient. And they say that anybody who dealt with that patient wore complete preventive suits, anti-liquid suits, and also wore respirators as well. So, this is what the Germans are trying to do to show that they have the situation under control -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Fred, we know here in the United States (INAUDIBLE), there's been a lot of nervousness about Ebola, especially after this 26-year- old nurse came down with Ebola after --

PLEITGEN: Yes.

BLITZER: -- treating the first person who got -- who came to the United States with Ebola. Give us a little sense of what it's like in Europe, over there in Germany, specifically. How concerned are the folks there?

PLEITGEN: Well, they're certainly concerned. I wouldn't say that they fear Ebola in any way, shape or form but the concern is certainly there. That's one of the reasons why the hospital really went into very meticulous detail about what precautions their workers took to prevent the disease from getting outside that isolation ward there in that town of Leipzig. For instance, they said that, every hour, the hospital staff there used between 20 and 30 pairs of single use gloves. They say that the entire time that this patient was treated there, they went through 100 protective suits every single day. And all of these things were then later incinerated, according to the German standards.

So, the German government is saying that there is no threat of an Ebola outbreak here in Germany. There's no threat of the disease getting out of those isolation wards. But, of course, people have been following the news from the U.S. and from Spain as well. And they know that any health worker who deals with this disease is very much at risk -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Fred Pleitgen in Germany, Nic Robertson in Spain, Elizabeth Cohen in Dallas. Guys, thanks very much. We'll stay on top of this story. Much more coming up.

And this question we're asking, is the United States Congress doing enough to stop the spread of Ebola? We'll talk to a U.S. Congressman who also happens to be a physician on what needs to be done, right here in Washington up on Capitol Hill, to battle this killer virus.

And look who showed up. The North Korean media says, nothing to worry about. Here's Kim Jong Un. But if these pictures are real, if they're not Photoshopped, they do reveal something much more telling about the reclusive nation.

And time is clearly running out in Kobani. Does the U.S. need to do more than air strikes as it targets ISIS? We'll talk to retired U.S. Army General, Wesley Clark, about what needs to happen next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. A second Ebola diagnosis in Texas has raised serious questions about the -- what the hospital did and what mistakes were made.

Let's bring in U.S. Congressman Michael Burgess. He spent three decades practicing medicine. He's now vice chairman of the Congressional subcommittee on health. His district, by the way, is just a few miles away from Texas Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

Congressman, thanks very much for joining us. We all want to learn from the mistakes that were made in order to make sure those mistakes are not repeated right now. First of all, what are you hearing about this 26-year-old nurse who contracted Ebola from Mr. Duncan who passed away last week?

REP. MICHAEL BURGESS (R), TEXAS, VICE CHAIRMAN, CONGRESSIONAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH: Well, of course, everything I know is what I've -- what I've read in the media and public sources. But she apparently self-identified herself as having trouble last Friday and presented to the hospital. And, in fact, in a fairly short period of time, she was appropriately handled and given the diagnosis. It's obviously tough for her and her family. But, at the same time, I am grateful that, because of her experience and her training, she was able to recognize what was going on and speak up and say, I need some help with this. And that's incredibly important.

BLITZER: Should more money be appropriated by the U.S. Congress to deal with these kinds of issues? We know there have been budget cuts, so-called sequestration, less money for the Centers for Disease Control, the NIH, for example, that had earlier been planned. Is Congress doing enough?

BURGESS: Well, realistically, on the CDC appropriation, I think their appropriation this year exceeded what was requested in the president's budget. But, look, we can have those discussions and we should have budgetary discussions, but the here and now dictates that this is going to cost a good deal of money to get through this. And, sure, Congress needs to be prepared to do what is necessary. But I will also say that, you know, there are some things we could be doing to lower our risk.

And your Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, when I was on one of your programs a week or two ago, and she talked about what happened when she came back from Liberia and told the folks at the -- at the intake station out of (INAUDIBLE) that she had just returned from Liberia covering the Ebola epidemic and they said, welcome home. Oh, wait, here are some things you need to watch out for. Well, we're not doing a good enough job.

Now I'll tell you this, Wolf, and not everyone agrees with me, but I think all voluntary travel between Liberia, the nations in western Africa, and the United States should be put on pause, should be put on hold. Things did not happen the way the CDC told us they would happen. All of the information they put out in September is now nonoperational. And, honestly, we need to give our system, our medical system, our doctors and our nurses, a chance to catch up. The pandemic plan in 2005 did acknowledge that you could perhaps slow a disease down at the border. We have to be prepared to do that now.

BLITZER: So it sounds, congressman, like you've lost confidence in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

BURGESS: No, no, absolutely not. But I will tell you this, Wolf, I think this illness has taught all of us a lot of humility over the last six weeks. The things that were talked about when the president went to CDC in September, those are nonoperational today. And I think you just have to recognize the fact that this is -- this outbreak is serious, it's evolving and the problem with this virus - and there was a great article in "The New York Times" this morning about how the viral load increases with time such that by the end of the clinical presentation, when someone is near death, the viral load is just unbelievable. And that's why all of the people who were working around this patient toward the terminal event, they're now at significant risk and need to be monitored appropriately. And I'm glad they are.

BLITZER: Well - well you're a physician. So one final question. Those who come down with Ebola, let's hope there aren't any more, but Tom Frieden, the head of the CDC, Anthony Fauci of N.I.H., they've both said in the past few days they wouldn't be surprised if there are more Ebola cases in Dallas. Here's the question to you -- should they be treated, should they remain in Dallas or move to Nebraska or Emory University Hospital in Atlanta where they have more specific treatment centers?

BURGESS: I -- my belief is that is the case. Now, I will also tell you, I think Presbyterian has been on a pretty steep learning curve and I think there's no question that they have - you know, their experience is now valuable. But the statements that were made early in September that any hospital ought to be able and be prepared to deal with this illness, I don't think so. You can go to a university and say, I want to study the Ebola virus and you can't do it. You've got to go to specialized labs, specialized centers around the country that are prepared to deal with this virus. The same is probably true of our hospitals as well.

BLITZER: And we're just getting this in, a statement, I just want to read it, from Nina Pham. She's the 26-year-old nurse who contracted Ebola in Dallas. She's at that hospital in Dallas. She says she's doing well. "I'm doing well. Want to thank everyone for their kind wishes and prayers. I'm blessed by the support of family and friends and blessed to be cared for by the best team of doctors and nurses in the world at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas." So that's good news. Elizabeth Cohen reported it earlier, but I want to make sure that we get that up on the air. So, fortunately, she says she's doing well. Let's hope that stays the case.

Congressman Burgess, thanks very much for joining us.

BURGESS: Great, thank you.

BLITZER: We'll have more on this story coming up later. But ISIS continues to move towards the Baghdad International Airport even as we speak. Is it time to re-evaluate the U.S. strategy in the war against ISIS? I'll ask retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark, the former NATO supreme allied commander. He's here.

And next, North Korea's Kim Jong-un resurfaces after more than a month. But are the new pictures putting the mystery to rest? We'll take a closer look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Now to Hong Kong. A new face-off between protesters and police. Take a look at this. The demonstration zone, as it's called. Riot police with masks, shields, batons, pepper spray. They've hit the streets to try to tamp down a new wave of protests. Authorities say the officers tried to reach protesters through a tunnel but instead got cornered themselves. Just yesterday, police removed barricades, reopened key roads after weeks of peaceful sit-ins, protesting limits Chinese officials have put on candidates on local elections. We're going to continue to monitor the developments there in Hong Kong, bring you the very latest. Stand by.

After weeks of speculation and rumor about his extended public absence, the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, was back on state TV. But the pictures actually may just be adding to the mystery. Our Paula Hancocks is in Seoul, South Korea.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, North Korea is very keen to show that Kim Jong-un is back and he is in control. All throughout today we have been seeing on North Korean state run media these photos of him seemingly back at work and doing what he does best, this field guidance when he walks around, in this case a newly built residential complex, followed by his officials. There are a lot of smiles in these photos. And, crucially, we do see Kim Jong-un with a cane, with a walking stick.

Now, this is significant. Not only does it vindicate many analysts who have believed that he was ill and had health issues over the past five weeks and dismissed claims of a coup, but it also shows that North Korea is now willing to show that their North Korean leader is frail. This is something that didn't happen with the two previous leaders. That this could be for an international audience, the fact these photos are being shown so much, but also for a domestic audience, to show North Koreans that their leader is -- even if he's not in complete health, seemingly he is in complete control.

Interestingly, though, there is no date on these photos. State run media would like us to believe they're recent, but we simply don't know.

Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Paula, thanks very much.

Also interesting is that North Korean media is only showing the photographs, no video of Kim Jong-un's appearance. Now to discuss what's going on, joining us from London, our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour.

I know, Christiane, you've been to North Korea. How does this appearance play? Does it reduce the speculation? Does it add a little bit of the mystery? What's your analyst?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it keeps adding to it. Look, they've just showed these pictures after we've all been discussing for weeks and weeks, where is Kim Jong-un? Here he shows up again, but as you said, in still photos, undated, not video. We simply don't know when they were taken. And key to the whole issue is, yes, they were put on the main daily newspaper, the organ (ph) of the central party there. But the U.S. has not been able to decipher or confirm the authenticity of them, when they were taken, what this all means. So I think the mystery continues a little bit. Although, there he is smiling with a walking stick. So it advances the story just a tiny bit. But until we see some date-specific, moving pictures, people will still be having a field day trying to figure out what is going on.

BLITZER: From North Korea, Christiane, let's move to Iran because I know you had an important interview with the speaker of the Iranian parliament, a wide-ranging interview. We'll see it at the top of the hour on CNN International for our viewers around the world. What's the basic message he's sending right now as far as this war on ISIS is concerned?

AMANPOUR: Well, here's the thing, and to put it into context, he is one of the most powerful people in Iran. He's the speaker of the parliament. It's a real important quarter when it comes to agreeing to talks and other such things. So regarding ISIS, he basically said, which they have said all along, that air strikes won't do it. You know, President Rouhani himself told me that in September in New York. And that while they're all committed to fighting ISIS, he basically reminded that there needs to be a lot bigger strategy than just air strikes. Listen to what he said and then we can talk a little bit about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALI LARIJANI, SPEAKER OF THE IRANIAN PARLIAMENT (through translator): I think it is very unlikely to destroy guerrilla fighters by just dropping bombs on their heads. But us, I mean Iran went to the side of the Iraqis very early when the crisis broke out. We don't really want to broadcast it. We don't want to go to the media and talk about what we did for the Iraqis. But in practice, we defended them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: So, Wolf, basically he's there claiming success for blunting ISIS' initial surge. And still there are Revolutionary Guards, some kind of elements there. We've seen the picture in the field of the infamous Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Qods Force. And Iran credits itself with blunting and preventing ISIS from advancing further towards Baghdad. You know, providing the sharp (ph) troops, providing weaponry, providing sort of elements to confront ISIS and also arming Shia militias. So the question now is, as the president, President Obama, is having these talks just outside Washington, shortly to begin, with defense chiefs from some 20 different nations on how to take this fight further and better against ISIS, you know, whether there's something that Iran and the United States can do together, probably not, but whether Iran would block the idea of ground troops. He did not come out totally against ground troops.

BLITZER: Interesting stuff. And we're looking forward to more of the interview right at the top of the hour. Christiane, thanks very much. Christiane Amanpour. For our international viewers, please make sure to watch "Amanpour." That begins right after this program.

Officials from 22 nations, as Christiane just pointed out, they're getting ready to meet to discuss strategy on the war on ISIS. They're meeting right outside Washington at Joint Base Andrews. Up next, retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark on what he thinks should be the top priority, what he believes President Obama's message will be to those defense leaders.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)