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As New Cases Rise in the U.S., Scientists Think Coronavirus May Transmit in Smaller Particles; South African COVID-19 Death Rate Remains Low With Innovative Treatment Techniques; Phoenix Mayor Says State Opened Too Early. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired July 06, 2020 - 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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[10:32:45]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, 32 states are moving in the wrong direction, seeing spikes in new coronavirus cases over the past week. Among them? California, where thousands of people are testing positive daily.

CNN national correspondent Sara Sidner joins us now, live from Los Angeles. Sara, let's let you get your mike set. We know that many beaches, of course, across Southern California were closed for the holiday weekend. Still, there were open beaches in San Diego, people flocking there. And these numbers are really a concern in the state.

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They are disturbing. They have just come out with brand-new numbers of 11,000, but that number is a little misleading. People thought that was a day total, it's actually over the past four days.

However, on Friday, it was the highest number of positives that Los Angeles County has seen, with more than 3,000 positive cases.

And the worry here, Erica, is really the hospital beds. You're hearing from Los Angeles County officials who are saying that in the next couple of weeks to three weeks, they could be out of ICU beds here by the end of July because of the number of people that are being hospitalized at this point.

And there is a great deal of concern here, in California and the state at large. This is now one of several hotspots. Instead of having one epicenter -- like we saw happen in New York -- there are now three or four states that are epicenters of this coronavirus uptick, and California is certainly in the middle of it.

And so those are the things that really have health officials concerned, is that when you see this spike in numbers, you also are seeing hospitalizations go up about 40 percent compared to what it was a few weeks ago. And they are extremely worried, which is why there are some things happening like closing the beaches over the holiday weekend. We did hear from Los Angeles County officials, thanking people for not

breaking those rules when it comes to the beaches that were closed. But you're also seeing some places where some beaches were open -- like you mentioned San Diego, where people did flock to the beach.

But one of the biggest things that officials are concerned about isn't necessarily people coming to the beaches outdoors, it's the gatherings inside. And we've seen a couple of social media videos already that are showing huge parties where not -- most people aren't masked, and they've all gathered in an area. And that is really what has health officials concerned here -- Erica.

[10:35:07]

HILL: Yes, absolutely. Sara Sidner with the latest for us from California this morning, thank you.

Joining me now, Dr. Seema Yasmin, CNN medical analyst and former CDC disease detective. And, Dr. Jasmin, I want to just pick up on one thing that Sara just mentioned, right? So she was talking about the concern for California about running out of ICU beds by the end of the month, and noting that it's not the only hotspot.

How does that change things, when you're looking at hotspots in California, in Texas, in Florida, in Arizona, not just the New York City metropolitan area, as we saw early on with the pandemic? How does that complicate matters?

SEEMA YASMIN, CNN MEDICAL ANALYST: So of course, it complicates matters because we need to take a really statewide approach to this. As Sara said, it's not just Los Angeles County that's seeing this uptick in California, it's different hotspots across the state.

That makes it much more difficult for doctors in one region of California, Erica, to say, ICU beds are maxed out here, let's send people in ambulances two hours north or three hours south. Because those hospitals are also finding their ICU wards maxed out. So it really takes a careful approach to not overwhelming the health care system, that's what's really at heart here.

HILL: I'm fascinated by this letter, some 239 signers of this letter, calling on the World Health Organization, the CDC to talk about the fact that this virus could be transmitted by droplets that are left in the air. Why is that so important? What would that language and addressing that mean?

YASMIN: So this is an ongoing debate between scientists and the World Health Organization. It started back in early April and now, as you've mentioned, there are 239 scientists from 32 countries who are saying to the World Health Organization, Look, WHO, you keep saying that people need to stay six feet apart, wear surgical masks, wear cloth coverings because of the science that the WHO is touting, that when we cough and sneeze the virus is being released from our mouths and noses in droplets that are five microns big.

Now, that sounds tiny, but in biological terms a five-micron droplet is quite large and quite heavy, meaning it drops to the ground within about six feet of us. What these scientists are telling the World Health Organization is that now there's evidence that, actually, the virus leaves out body in smaller particles. And smaller obviously means lighter, smaller means these particles can travel farther.

So what's at stake here is the kind of precautions we need to take to keep people safe. If these scientists are right, that means that surgical masks and cloth masks are not cutting it. It means we need to be wearing N95 respirators.

The World Health Organization is saying, We're looking at the evidence, we see what you're saying but we don't think this is strong enough evidence to say this. In the meantime, I do think it's really important that we focus on what is agreed upon, and that is, some extent, physical distancing, wearing masks, being aware that being in close proximity to people, especially indoors, increases your risk of becoming infected.

HILL: Yes, two things that we all know we can do pretty easily.

The president, over the weekend, saying that 99 percent of COVID-19 cases are completely harmless. The FDA commissioner, asked several times in several different ways -- by Dana Bash -- about that comment specifically, and he would not say that it was false and yet it is, how damaging is that information that the president is putting out?

YASMIN: It's false information. And what's damaging is not just that the president is saying things that are incorrect, but that high- ranking scientists like the FDA commissioner are not calling it out. What we have here is a pandemic with so much misinformation flying around, what we need is scientists to retain their trust, retain their credibility, Erica.

And when they're not calling out the misinformation and the disinformation, people really start to lose trust in science and in scientists. So the president is saying things that are incorrect. We need high-ranking scientists, high-ranking experts to call it out and say that it is not true.

HILL: Public trust is essential, as you point out. Dr. Seema Yasmin, good to see you. Thank you.

[10:39:15]

South Africa is seeing an explosion of new coronavirus cases. The death rate there, though, remains low. Coming up, the treatments giving patients hope.

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HILL: South Africa is by far the hardest hit country on the African continent. But in (INAUDIBLE) the catastrophe many predicted, the country may be a model for how to treat COVID-19 patients. CNN's David McKenzie joins us now from Cape Town.

Just yesterday, the country reported a record high number of new coronavirus cases. The death rate there, though, remains low. David, what are you learning?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's fascinating, Erica. If you look at the numbers here in South Africa, you're right, this is the epicenter of the African continent. South Africa will very soon break the 200,000 mark in terms of confirmed COVID-19 cases. But as you say, the death rate, they believe, is lower than they expected.

Here in the Western Cape, where we've been reporting over the last few days, we went into field hospitals, where they showed us innovative techniques that they picked up from countries that battled with this virus earlier than here, especially using high-flow nasal oxygen, anticoagulants for pretty much all of their patients that come in who need that oxygen. And also, the use of steroids.

[10:45:00]

Now, I know we've all been talking about this for several weeks now, the use of steroids. They've been doing this for some time, and also that recent Oxford study bolstered their view that this could get patients out in just a few days.

Now, instead of being put on ventilators, where patients are essentially in a medically induced coma, this is how they try to treat the patients. Take a listen.

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LEE WALLIS, HEAD OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE, WESTERN CAPE FIELD HOSPITAL: And the body doesn't do as well as (ph) in those conditions. This virus causes a lot of damage to both the lungs and the blood vessels in the lungs. And you really need the body's own system to fight as much as possible.

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MCKENZIE: Well, they keep him awake. They often -- we saw in these field hospitals, patients walking around their beds attached to oxygen.

Now, I was speaking to the head of emergency medicine, there, at a giant field hospital here in Cape Town, in the city. They still have a whole lot of beds empty. He said that means that there is hope in battling this pandemic.

Erica, they do believe these beds will fill up by the end of July, but they say the system they're using might clear patients out to recover at home quicker, allowing the system to not be overwhelmed in South Africa. But it is not the end of this yet, as you said. This is surging. And in other parts of this country, they're going to hit their peak very soon -- Erica.

HILL: David McKenzie, fascinating. Thank you so much.

Still to come, the mayor of Phoenix now says that state opened -- Arizona opened way too early, cases there continuing to climb. And now, the city's firefighters are among those hardest hit. That's next.

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[10:51:04]

HILL: Infection rates are soaring in Arizona. In fact, the average number of new cases there is climbing faster per capita than in any other state. CNN's Evan McMorris-Santoro is in Phoenix, where the city's mayor says the state opened way too early. Evan, what's being done now to stop the spread or at least slow it?

EVAN MCMORRIS-SANTORO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erica, the important thing to note about Arizona is that a lot of the decisions about how to mitigate this pandemic which, as you mentioned, is growing into a really dire situation here, is done on a municipal-by-municipal basis.

So here in Phoenix, the mayor, Kathy Gallego, has put into place a mask requirement for people who are in public, to wear a mask. But there's things that she's still concerned about. Like, for example, dining in restaurants, indoor dining, is still allowed here. She would like to see that changed, but she can't make that change on her own.

She also notes that, you know, the infections here, half of them -- half of the new ones -- have ranged in ages from 20 to 44, which she ascribes to people who are younger going out and congregating when the governor and other people here, public health officials have said not to do it.

So she's really hoping to do more to combat things, but there is some question about what legal authority that she has -- Erica.

HILL: So questions about her legal authority. In the meantime, I know you're also hearing from the Phoenix Fire Department, that's concerned, because they're being hit particularly hard by the virus. How bad is it?

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: That's absolutely right, it's a great question. There was an absolutely remarkable Facebook post put up by the firefighters' union here in Phoenix, where they said -- they asked the public, Please don't call 911 if you have minor COVID symptoms, because the fire department is going out.

I'm standing right in front of Fire Station One, one of the largest fire stations here in Phoenix, the largest city in Arizona -- they're saying, Please don't call for minor COVID complications because our firefighters are going out and they're getting infected at a, quote, "alarming rate."

The fire department told CNN over the weekend, that 61 members of the fire department here in Phoenix have tested positive for this disease. And I spoke to one senior member of the fire department on the phone, and he mentioned that he got it. And also the person that he rides in the truck with, also got it.

HILL: I mean, just illustrative once again of what not just the city of Phoenix is facing, but what so many areas around the country are facing as well. Evan McMorris-Santoro, appreciate it. Thank you.

Two overnight camps in North Georgia have closed after campers and staff tested positive for COVID-19. Now, that's a big disappointment and a concern, obviously, for parents and kids who are hoping to restore a little normalcy to their summer. CNN's Martin Savidge joins us now.

So the camp is run by the YMCA. What are we hearing from the Y and from folks at the camp there?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the YMCA is saying, Erica, that they did everything they think they possibly could to try to make summer camp safe, including demanding that everybody -- everybody -- get tested before they arrive. Nonetheless, somehow, COVID-19 was able to get in.

Let me explain a bit about these two camps. So they're run by the YMCA, they're both known as High Harbour. One of them is up on Lake Burton -- that's about two hours north of Atlanta -- there is another one here on Lake Allatoona, which is about 45 minutes outside of the city.

And it was up at Lake Burton last Wednesday, when a counselor -- and the age group of the young people that attend, by the way, are about seven to 15 -- but a counselor began showing symptoms of COVID-19, went up, got tested. Sure enough, it was said to be coronavirus.

So then the camps began closing down. The very next day, they started sending all the young people home, and the camps are now closed. Nonetheless, the Georgia Department of Public Health says, as a result, there are 30 cases of people who have now tested positive that have been linked to these two summer camps.

[10:55:05]

So the YMCA is saying they followed CDC guidelines when it came to opening and operating their summer camp. And yet, despite that, the coronavirus was not only able to get in but, as you see, spread so rapidly even after they quickly identified the original source.

HILL: Martin Savidge with the latest for us there. Marty, thank you.

Well, as we've been saying this morning, on this Monday morning, 32 states are now seeing a surge in coronavirus cases, concern growing for hospitals in some of the hotspots. More on that struggle, ahead.

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