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WHO Holds Off Declaring a Global Health Emergency Over Wuhan Virus; Rescued Circus Animals Arrive at South African Sanctuary. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired January 23, 2020 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm John Vause at CNN World Headquarters.
Coming up on this hour on CNN NEWSROOM, all public transportation in and out of Wuhan shut down, 11 million people at the epicenter of the coronavirus are told not to leave as China tries to contain this new deadly disease.
As Senate Republicans block new documents and witnesses from being called before the impeachment trial, the U.S. president boasts, he has all the evidence.
And Operation Liberty is a go. In Free State, South Africa, freedom for more than a dozen tigers, no longer brutalized and abused for what some people consider is entertainment.
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VAUSE: We will begin in Wuhan, China, city of 11 million people, about same size as London, one of the biggest cities in China now under lockdown, to try and contain the outbreak of a killer virus. Officials suspended all outbound train travel and flights. Some buses, ferries and subways have been canceled. At least 17 people have died so far. Almost 600 cases have now been reported, while the virus has been found in at least four other countries.
But the World Health Organization is not declaring a public health emergency after meeting on Wednesday, officials said they need more information and will reconvene in the coming hours. CNN's David Culver visited the epicenter of the outbreak and he filed this report from Wuhan.
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DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Behind the police tape, this normally crowded market in Wuhan sits eerily desolate. This is ground zero for the illness sparking global unease. CULVER: This is where authorities believe the source of the coronavirus is, wildlife and seafood market. And you can see over there, there's police on every corner.
CULVER (voice-over): Within minutes of us arriving, security asked us to stop filming. There is an uneasiness felt throughout Wuhan. We experienced it as soon as we boarded the train from Beijing.
Each car nearly full, most faces are covered, everyone traveling home for the Lunar New Year.
Strict screening upon of arrival, one by one passengers went through a thermometer check to make sure they're not bringing a fever with them. This is playing out across China in transportation hubs.
LI BIN, VICE MINISTER, CHINESE NATIONAL HEALTH COMMISSION (through translator): The virus was being spread mainly through respiratory transmission and is likely to mutate, which will increase the risk of epidemic spreading.
In additional the Spring Festival travel rush saw a mass migration, objectively increased the risk of the epidemic spreading and difficulties taking control measures. Should always be on high alert and never take this lightly.
CULVER: Behind me is one of a few hospitals in the region dedicated to treating confirmed cases or suspected cases of the coronavirus. Out front, you have a few staff members we've noticed, who are all wearing masks. Some of them are wearing protective gloves just to prevent any potential exposure.
CULVER (voice-over): It's brought the normally festive holiday mood in Wuhan to a halt. It's cut down this vendor's business.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): This year the pneumonia situation is getting serious. Not so much people coming to buy goods.
CULVER (voice-over): She's from a city about a two hour drive from Wuhan. She has her mask nearby and she's worried. And so too, her daughter and other relatives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): They were asking me to go back home but I cannot leave with all my inventory here. I have bought these goods, I have no choice. I have to stay here and resign myself to my fate.
CULVER (voice-over): Other vendors are more hopeful. This woman does not feel the need to wear a mask.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Maybe I'm having a positive outlook, I've been checking online instructions, drinking more, water washing my, hands. I think that should be fine.
CULVER (voice-over): The unknowns are looming over the city with a rising death toll, unclear what is next for Wuhan and the 11 million who call it home. (END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: David joins us now on the phone from Beijing.
So David, how would you describe the measures and the health checks that are in place right now, what are you seeing as you make this journey from Wuhan?
CULVER: No question, quite a journey, John, about 10 hours that we've been going, we got the call at 3:00 in the morning.
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CULVER: And my colleague, senior producer Steven Jiang in Beijing, he said, look, it looks like they are going to lock down the city, they're going to be stopping planes and trains from leaving and they're going to be closing down the public transportation, this is probably the time to leave.
We agreed so we mobilized to get, out, got to the train station, seemed like a lot of locals got the message, were lining up, to get their ticket, to get out. And this is the holiday Spring Festival travel rush and normally you see a lot of people but usually those folks have already planned in advance so they wouldn't be in the lines that we were in to get tickets for today to get out.
And getting out, it was a bit chaotic. I think everyone was in a sleep deprived mode and the locals were rushing to get where they need to go. And in the train, everyone was just exhausted. You had a lot of folks who were wearing the masks, because as of today, the mandatory regulation came down out of Wuhan, that you had to be wearing a mask.
You saw I was wearing a mask, a lot of people were doing it voluntary, now it is mandatory. It's also since, we've gotten, back, we've had learned that the train, station since lockdown, they had paramilitary, come out and block the front. They were really strict about making it a very limited access.
No one was in, no one's going out. And no trains leaving. So for now, they seem to be living by the lockdown situation. But even arriving here in Beijing, the trains they were very aware of where we are coming from and wanted to make sure, as we were exiting, that our temperatures were checked. They want to make sure that we weren't bringing any fever with us -- John.
VAUSE: This is a Communist government, they can implement these measures as they see fit. David, thank you for the report, we appreciate. It, David Culver, stay on the line from Beijing.
We now go to Blake Essig, who is at a train station.
Hong Kong has actually seen a highly suspected case of the coronavirus and what are you looking at there, what should be a normal busy time of the year, the spring holiday.
How are things? BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, actually, there is two suspected cases here in Hong Kong, both been tested, preliminary results suggest, that both of these individuals, have been infected with the Wuhan coronavirus.
But we are waiting for that confirmation later today, I am here at the West Kowloon train station, this is the main high speed train station connecting Hong Kong to Mainland China.
As you can see, thousands of, people and today specifically tens of thousands of people, are lining up because of the Lunar New Year. They're trying to get -- to visit their family, back in Mainland China. At this point, some of the precautions that are being taken, you can take a, look just beyond those borders, beyond those borders, every passenger, is being screened, with a thermal body scanner.
They are checking for temperatures, the reason for that is that when you talk about the symptoms, from this virus, that is spreading, you are talking fever. Coughing, difficulty breathing. They are checking body temperatures to see if any of these passengers have fever.
And a 39 year old, the first suspected individual that made it here, into Hong Kong, came through the security check, got his temperature checked, had a fever and as a result he was immediately isolated. And then sent to a hospital. To be checked out further.
So at this point he is in stable condition but we are waiting for confirmation to see, if in fact, he does have the Wuhan coronavirus.
VAUSE: Blake in Hong Kong, now two confirmed cases.
Hong Kong health officials now have two suspected cases of the Wuhan coronavirus, there are two quarantine centers, to isolate family members, as well as close contacts. In an interview on Wednesday with CNN's Fareed Zakaria at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, chief executive Carrie Lam said the government is committed to preventing an outbreak in the city.
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FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST: What can you tell us about the Wuhan virus, how worried should we be?
CARRIE LAM, HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE: We have been putting ourselves on a very highly vigilant system. Because we learned from the past, I'm sure you still remember, Hong Kong handling the SARS.
Now a couple of hours ago, Hong Kong health authorities announced, that we have the first case of highly suspicious, infection, in Hong Kong from a passenger from Wuhan, via another city coming to Hong Kong.
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LAM: So this system, which has been put in place for almost three weeks now, has to be put into actual action. I have asked my health colleagues to be really on the guard, because public health is so very important to the community and with this rapid flow of people across the border, it makes Hong Kong even more vulnerable to (INAUDIBLE) disease spread.
ZAKARIA: Now to the larger stuff, I saw somewhere that you said you weren't sure what the protesters were still protesting about in Hong Kong, given that you have withdrawn the extradition bill and made clear it is a dead letter.
There is this irresistible force of the protesters, with a lot of public support and there is the immovable object of Carrie Lam.
What is going to happen?
LAM: We have absolutely no problem with peaceful demonstrations against anything under the sun. Whether is myself, my government, social, issue, lack of affordable housing.
But on this particular occasion over the last few months, what we have seen in Hong Kong, which is totally unprecedented and unfamiliar to us. And every one of you who knows Hong Kong and loves Hong Kong, is that a high degree of violence. The total disrespect, for differences in opinion.
The people were beaten, when they hold a different opinion, from some of these protesters or rioters. So to simplify these protests, as fighting for democracy and for continued freedoms, I have underestimated the situation.
So similarly for the governments, who provide a political response because the protesters or the rioters, wanted to see a particular response, would not be very prudent way of ensuring Hong Kong's future and public interest.
ZAKARIA: You said you have met three times with Xi Jinping. Do you believe that he is committed to maintaining the one country/two systems and letting Hong Kong have the special status that it has?
LAM: I have received very clear messages from President Xi himself, from other central leaders, that one country/two systems is almost sacrosanct. But of course as I put down a quantifier, it has to be accurately understood and fully implemented.
ZAKARIA: Your approval rating is now at 14 percent. It must be very difficult to operate under those circumstances.
Why not resign?
LAM: It would be easy to just run away from the situation. Hong Kong now has several crises to handle: the economic recession, continued protests and political discontent and lately a public health crisis. So I do feel it is that same sense of responsibility that has motivated three years ago to contest in the chief executive election, that has given me that stamina to stay on.
It's not easy to stay on. (END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Still to come, House Democrats make their case to the Senate, saying removing Trump from office can't wait until this year's election.
Plus if the Wuhan virus is declared a global threat, how will it affect the way the outbreak is managed?
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VAUSE: Democrats decided to avoid a major TV slimmed-down impeachment presentation. Instead, seven impeachment prosecutors spent hours outlining their case in great detail. They argued it cannot be decided at the ballot box because the president's already shown he's willing to cheat to win a second term.
Just one day after voting against new witnesses or documents, some Republicans completed they heard nothing new. Here's CNN's Sara Murray.
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CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS, U.S. SUPREME COURT: The Senate will now hear you.
SARA MURRAY, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Democrats began to prosecute their case against President Trump today by using his own words try to incriminate. Him
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Just as he solicited help in Ukraine in 2019, in 2016, then candidate Trump also solicited help from Russia in his election effort.
TRUMP: Russia, if you're listening, I hope you are able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing.
SCHIFF: There is no question that President Trump intended to press the Ukraine leader to look into his political rival.
TRUMP: They should investigate the Bidens and, by the way, likewise China should start an investigation into the Bidens
MURRAY (voice-over): The president appeared to be tuning in from Air Force One, tweeting, "No pressure."
SCHIFF: Mr. Chief Justice, Senators ...
MURRAY (voice-over): Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff opened to day two of the trial with marathon remarks, stretching two hours and 20 minutes without a break.
SCHIFF: That concludes our introduction
MURRAY (voice-over): As he argued the evidence overwhelmingly proved Trump abused power and obstructed Congress.
SCHIFF: The president, this unapologetic, this lawless, this unbound to the Constitution and the oath of office, must be removed from that office.
MURRAY (voice-over): Democrats have two more days to make their case against the president and convince moderate Republican senators the trial should include new evidence and witnesses.
REP. JASON CROW (D-CO): As you can see, there isn't a lot to read here. You should demand to see the full record. The American people deserve to see the full truth when it comes to presidential actions.
MURRAY (voice-over): But today Democrats ran through the record they have, officials worrying that the freeze on Ukraine aid was illegal. Efforts to oust former ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, Rudy Giuliani's own admission that he was pursuing investigations in Ukraine to help his client, not the country.
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): Rudolph Giuliani is a cold blooded political operative for President Trump's reelection campaign.
MURRAY (voice-over): Schiff skewered Trump's insistence that he was not involved in a quid pro quo even as he withheld security aid and a White House meeting from Ukraine while clamoring for an investigation into 2016 and Joe Biden.
SCHIFF: That's not something that comes up a normal conversation, right?
Hello Mr. President, how are you today, no quid pro quo?
That is the kind of thing that comes up in conversation if you're trying to put your alibi out there.
MURRAY (voice-over): Trump's defenders meantime awaited their chance to take the floor.
JAY SEKULOW, TRUMP ATTORNEY: This whole fact that we're here is ridiculous at the end of the day I believe he will be acquitted.
MURRAY (voice-over): Sara Murray, CNN, Washington.
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VAUSE: With us now from Los Angeles, former assistant U.S. attorney David Katz.
David, good to see you again. This was a very lengthy detailed opening argument by Schiff. He was clearly becoming emotional towards the end. He wrapped up with this question for Republican senators. Here it is.
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SCHIFF: More e-mails are going to come out.
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SCHIFF: More witnesses are going to come forward. They're going to have more relevant information to share. And the only question is do you want to hear it now? Do you want to know the full truth now?
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VAUSE: And then even more emotional state with this because he went on to speak with the career bureaucrats who basically put their careers on the line to testify. Here he is.
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SCHIFF: They risked everything, their careers. And yes, I know what you're asked to decide may risk yours too. But if they could show the courage, so can we.
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VAUSE: Is that now essentially the choice for Republican senators, if they vote guilty, they'll be voting to end their careers?
DAVID KATZ, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY: Well, actually, I mean, the judgment of history will be that Adam Schiff was a hero, that Trump was guilty as sin. And so, it's very frustrating for him to stand in front of these senators, John and to realize that, you know, they're going to vote in a way which is totally inconsistent with the evidence.
And of course, we can be cynical and think that, you know, the main interest that they have is to prolong their careers, but some of them are retiring from the Senate. And you really wonder why they want to take this place in history as a cover-up, as someone who voted against the weight of all the evidence. It was so clearly laid out today.
And then there are some that I think are watching the polls. So for the ones who are not going to be profiles encourage, the ones who are watching the polls, two-thirds of the country, which I assume is two- thirds of the people in their Republican states, want to have witnesses. And I think everyone knows that a trial has witnesses. And that, you know, the Republicans are acting like they don't want to hear -- you know, hear no evil see no evil.
There's evil out there. This was a quid pro quo. When Trump's defenders say oh, there was no proof of a quid pro quo, Article One is an articulate statement of exactly what the exchange was, what corrupt favor Trump wanted in exchange for ever releasing the $400 million.
And we know john the $400 million never would have been released but for the fact that a brave whistleblower came and that Trump and his top minions knew that the whistleblower was out there so they better finally at last release the money even though they didn't get the announcement against the political rival Biden that Trump and his advisors were seeking that whole time, Trump and Giuliani.
VAUSE: That number is 70 percent of America who want witnesses to be called before the Senate. 70 percent of Americans can agree on what day of the week it is. And among those witnesses they want called, the former National Security Advisor John Bolton. He's the one that described this military aid for the political investigations scheme as a drug deal.
In Davos, the U.S. President cited national security reasons why Bolton should not testify, but was notable because he then went on to add this. Listen to this.
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TRUMP: I don't know if we left in the best of terms. I would say probably not, you know. And so you don't like people testifying when they didn't leave on good terms and that was due to me, not due to him.
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VAUSE: Does this suggest you the president is at least kind of anxious about the possibility that Bolton will appear before the impeachment trial?
KATZ: Well, you know, the thing with bullies is that they're all scared. The thing with braggarts is that they're all worried about what's really going to happen. And so, they have a brave front because they're scared as can be. And Trump always runs scared. He's always worried about being a loser. That's why he calls other people losers.
Now what he says about Bolton is ridiculous. Bolton was a hawk. Bolted had very strong views about North Korea. Things like that, you can agree or disagree. But on this one, Bolton was absolutely clear. The minute he heard about this at the White House meeting, he stopped the meeting. He said this is a drug deal. I don't want to be a part of any of this. He ordered Dr. Fiona Hill to report it right away to the top lawyers to figure out whether it was legal or not. Of course, they thought it was illegal. Those opinions have been suppressed.
But the reason that Bolton would be a good witness is that people will get interested, John, if there's a witness. The problem that the Democrats have and as much as people watch this hearing today, witnesses would move people's minds more. Remember during the Kavanaugh-Dr. Ford hearings about the Supreme Court position for Kavanaugh, it was the witnesses. All the arguments in the world weren't as good as actually having Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford testify.
So, Bolton, Mulvaney, those would be exciting people that would really rivet the country and people would wake up and say, including in those Republican senators' states, wait a second, wait a second, this is not how I want the government to run. I wouldn't like it if a Democrat were doing this. I should stand on principle. A lot of voters I think will think, this isn't right when my team does it. It's not right if the other team does it. It's just not right. Trump is doing things that are wrong.
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KATZ: He's abrogating the Constitution. He's not doing what he's supposed to do. There's supposed to be a separation of powers. He's not a king.
VAUSE: They just see this as tightrope though for Democrats because they're laying out what is a very comprehensive case against the president while at the same time arguing they still need more evidence and witnesses and documents. And again, here's the president because it seems that he's very pleased so far with his TV lawyers.
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TRUMP: We're doing very well. I got to watch enough. I thought our team did a very good job. But honestly, we have all the material. They don't have the material.
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VAUSE: And yes, Mr. President, that's the point, right?
KATZ: Right. That's a confession to the second article of impeachment which is the obstruction of Congress. No president, not Nixon, not anybody ever obstructed Congress that much and just said, basically, you're a co-equal branch of government and I'm not giving you a thing. There would be no oversight. And that's why people are not exaggerating when they say we're not a
monarchy. We fought a revolution to not have a king and not to have somebody come in like Hamilton and Madison said and just act like a king. Congress has a very important role and Trump has refused to give them any documents. And to now crow that will my lawyers will do better than their lawyers, even though the lawyers I think from the House managers have done a wonderful job, all seven of them.
VAUSE: Very quickly, we're almost out of time. There's talk from the Republicans, they want to do a deal. They will allow the Democrats to call Bolton if they can call Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden about the Ukraine stuff. The Democrats have sort of rejected that saying that you know, they don't want any part of it. Is that a good idea? Should you just get those witnesses out there regardless of the cost?
KATZ: Well, first of all, that really would damage any sense of integrity. It cannot be that the President gins up an announcement, a total phony-baloney on somebody like Hunter Biden and then that makes Hunter Biden a relevant witness. What's important is what Trump did, what Biden's son did, not only has it been found never by anybody to have been criminal. But to drag him into a circus in order to get Bolton's testimony when Bolton is a clear percipient witness is a really silly deal. It would set a terrible precedent. It should be Mulvaney, it should be Bolton and they should get these documents. Schiff emphasized today that he could say this and say that, it would be very relevant to his argument. I'd like to read it to you but I don't have it. And he said to the Senators, why don't you snap your fingers, issue a subpoena, get it. Let's get the documents on the table. Let's get the facts out, John.
VAUSE: That would be nice. Facts, they're good things. And David, you're a good thing too. Thank you for being with us. We appreciate it. Twice in two days, it's been good. Thank you, sir.
KATZ: It's my pleasure.
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VAUSE: Still to come, the Wuhan virus is spreading despite efforts to contain it.
What else can be done?
We'll speak with an expert in a moment.
Also born caged but now set free, more than 1 dozen tigers and lions rescued from years of confinement and abuse.
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VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. I'm John Vause with an update on the top news this hour.
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World leaders are gathering in Israel to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp. Forty-one heads of states and other high-ranking officials will honor the past, and focus on the current rise of antisemitism around the world.
The U.N. is calling for an investigation into the alleged hacking of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos by Saudi Arabia. A forensics team hired by Bezos says a WhatsApp account belonging to the Saudi crown prince transmitted spyware to the mobile phone. Bezos owns "The Washington Post." There's speculation it was possibly an attempt to influence "The Post's" reporting on Saudi Arabia. The kingdom, though, denies the allegations.
Public transportation in lock-down, in effect in Wuhan, China, to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Outward-bound flights and trains have been suspended, as have local buses, ferries, and subways. Chinese officials have reported 17 deaths so far. Nearly 600 infections. Cases have also been found in at least four other countries.
The World Health Organization has delayed a decision on declaring a global health emergency for later Thursday, when officials will meet for a second day. The WHO guidelines list three criteria for an emergency declaration.
The situation needs to be serious, sudden, unusual, or unexpected. It has to carry implications for public health beyond the affected state's national borders. It also may require immediate international action.
So on that first criteria, yes, this was sudden. It was unusual. It's also unexpected. And then, on the second criteria, essentially, the virus has traveled well beyond the epicenter of Wuhan. It's now spread across almost every province in mainland China, to the capital, Beijing, to Shanghai, Wang-ho (ph).
But then away from the main line, Taiwan is treating at least one case. So, too, Macao. And there is a case in Hong Kong, as well. A 39- year-old man highly suspected of having the coronavirus.
And then, it's spread to Japan, South Korea, two cases in Thailand. At least one case in the United States, as well.
And keep in mind, a public health emergency was declared just last year during the Ebola epidemic in eastern Congo, which killed more than 2,000 people. Now, since it was discovered in the 1970s, Ebola has claimed more than 13,000 lives, for a fatality rate of just over 40 percent.
Almost as deadly, the MERS outbreak back in 2012, almost 35 percent, the fatality right there. Almost 900 people killed.
That then brings us down to SARS, another deadly viral outbreak, but almost one in 10 people who caught SARS ended up dying. Not, obviously, as high as the other.
Now, this is what we're dealing with at the moment, but this outbreak in Wuhan. A fatality rate just over 3 percent, not especially high. That number could go up. It's a number which officials will keep a very close eye on in the coming days.
To talk more about this now, with me now from Hong Kong is Ivan Hung. He's a clinical professor at Hong Kong University. Also the chief of the Infectious Diseases Division.
So Professor, thank you so much for coming in. I just want to talk about this, this declaration of a global health emergency, if you'd like, by the WHO. Are you expecting it will happen sometime today? And if so, what are the implications? What does it actually mean in a practical sense?
IVAN HUNG, CLINICAL PROFESSOR, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY: I think we are expecting the declaration to come pretty soon, given the extent of the -- of the outbreak currently affecting many provinces and cities of China. And also affecting many cities over the world.
I think the measures, the declarations, the implications is mainly on traveling, especially affecting the tourists, or other people who are traveling to and from China. And this will probably carry a so-called, an alert list, especially to people traveling to -- to and from China, doing business or other things.
So I think the main impact is probably on tourism and also in -- to a certain extent, it might affect the economy, as well, in the long run.
VAUSE: Well, Beijing has classified this virus as being classified in the same category as SARS. And the city where it was first detected, Wuhan, is now sort of under lockdown, you know, clearly a decision which is not made lightly. But as far as the head of the WHO seems to be concerned, this is precisely what needs to be done. Listen to this,
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TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. So based on the situation, taking the action that they think is appropriate is very important. We stress to them that, by having a strong action, not only they will control their outbreak in their country, but they will also minimize the chances of this outbreak spreading internationally.
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VAUSE: If does that not significantly slow the spread of this virus, do they have any options left here? What else could they do?
HUNG: I think the most important thing currently is a rapid or prompt isolation and quick diagnosis, confirming the patient has been infected, or the individual has been infected with the coronavirus,
So basically, a quick diagnosis, quick isolation, is the most important measures. Given that the virus has already spread to other cities and other part of Chinas [SIC].
So a quick isolation, will help to control the infection from spreading further.
VAUSE: Do you expected to get worse before it gets better?
HUNG: I think it will get worse, given that it is now Chinese new year, and there's a lot of movement of the population going back home for the Chinese new year.
So we expect that the number will rise, especially people traveling in a very confined transportation, like in a plane, or in a train. So the number perhaps will rise, in terms of, you know, thousands, after Chinese new year, but I think gradually, with the infection control measures, the number's going to come down.
VAUSE: And there's a lot which remains unknown at the moment, like the incubation period, the time between the infection and someone noticing the symptoms. That's when somebody can be contagious, and they don't know it.
Also, the WHO has warned of the possibility of what call "sustained human to human transmission," which means the virus would be more infectious than bird flu, for example.
If that is confirmed, does that raise the stakes here in terms of the overall health emergency?
HUNG: Yes, the problem, I think, is that the -- we know from the SARS, from the viruses that the viral load, or the peak, number of viruses in the lung or in other system is -- it will actually peak in the -- from day seven, rather than, like, influenza that they peak within 48 hours from symptom onset.
So that carries a possibility that many of these affected individuals, may be so-called asymptomatic, or very mild symptoms, and they could be missed. Especially while they are going through the infrared temperature detector.
So as a result, these pose a chance of further transmitting the virus before they are being diagnosed and isolated. So these are things that we have to take into considerations when we're dealing with the infection control.
VAUSE: We see a lot of people in the region now wearing surgical masks. At this stage, are they effective, in terms of prevention?
HUNG: Yes, because the virus is 80 percent similar to SARS, so basically, they spread by droplets. So a surgical mask will be sufficient to protect, especially in, you know, transportations and other areas.
The only exception, of course, is that, if there is a so-called super spreader, or if that the -- in a hospital environment, where the patient is undergoing intubation, where there will be aerosol generation and the virus could be transmitted via airborne.
VAUSE: Thank you for being with us.
HUNG: And (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
VAUSE: OK. We appreciate you being with us. Thank you. Thank you, sir.
HUNG: Thank you.
VAUSE: Still to come here, a second chance for a life of freedom. More than a dozen lions and tigers having a home far from the abuse and brutality as a circus animal.
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VAUSE: What's green and falls out of trees? Frozen iguanas, seriously.
The weather forecast for Miami in the coming days: chilly with a big chance of falling iguanas. It's been colder than usual in the southeastern U.S., and when the mercury falls below seven degrees Celsius, iguanas fall out of the trees, because they're frozen.
They look dead, but they're not. They're actually still breathing.
And since they can weigh up to, like, nine kilograms, best to avoid falling iguanas.
Well, for some reason there are still those who marvel at a tiger or a lion walking on its back legs and jumping through a ring of fire or some other asinine trick which it was never meant to perform. Away from the crowds, the animals are often beaten, left in cages for days at a time, and abused.
But now that will not be life anymore for more than a dozen tigers and lions. Now, they get a chance at the life they should always have had. CNN's David McKenzie reports.
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DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The first scent of a new home. And for these rescued circus tigers and lions, their last moments confined like this.
(on camera): This tiger has been stuck in this cage for more than 36 hours. And it's lived in cages like this its entire life, brutalized for the entertainment of humans.
(voice-over): For Animal Defenders International, it was one of their most complicated rescues: 12 tigers, five lions, in total 18 months of struggle in Guatemala, in a 30-year fight to ban animal circuses globally. So far, 45 countries, including Guatemala, have.
JAN CREAMER, FOUNDER, ANIMAL DEFENDERS INTERNATIONAL: You imagine, because of the performance, that the animal is enjoying themselves, and behind the curtain, we are able to show that that couldn't be more untrue.
MCKENZIE (on camera): So what is behind a curtain?
CREAMER: Brutality, cruelty, abuse, deprivation.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): But rescued cats are costly, and ADI hope that this new dedicated facility in South Africa will be an incentive for more governments to follow suit.
The handlers carefully unload the first family of tigers. Most had their claws ripped out as cubs. Some had their canines sawed down by circus trainers. But they're still tigers. Exactly why, they say, they should have never been cage to begin with. Now taking its first, tentative steps, to a new life.
David McKenzie, CNN, Free State South Africa.
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VAUSE: Thanks for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. WORLD SPORT with Patrick Snell is up next.
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