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Liverpool Facing Strict Lockdown; France Can't Take Another Lockdown; President Trump Boast His Fast Recovery; Joe Biden Appeal to Senior Voters; Chilling Plot Revealed; Judge Barrett Leave Question Marks on Lawmaker's Minds; John Hopkins University Official Global Death Toll Nearing 1.1 Million; England's New Three Tier Restrictions in Effect; Chinese City Tests More Than 7.5 Million People; Patient Tests Positive for Flu and COVID-19 in Mexico; U.S. Faces Rising Cases and Hospitalization; Drug Maker Eli Lilly Pauses Antibody Trial for Safety Reasons; Virus Denier's Family Gathering Infects 14 People; Calls for Police Reform In Nigeria; Some Florida Seniors Shifting On Trump; Demi Lovato Calls On Trump. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired October 14, 2020 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. You are watching CNN Newsroom. And I'm Rosemary Church.
Just ahead, the United Kingdom reports its highest COVID-19 related death toll since June. Just as the country kicks off new restrictions, we will have a live report.
Plus, despite a climbing COVID-19 case, U.S. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are on a campaign blitz. And Mr. Trump is again using a controversial line from another rally.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: And now, I'm immune, they tell me. I'm immune. I could come down and start kissing everybody.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: I'll kiss every guy, man and woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: This, as Americans wait in long lines so they can vote ahead of the presidential election, just three weeks away.
Good to have you with us.
A busy hour of news ahead here on CNN Newsroom, but we begin with the surge and spread of coronavirus around the world. Johns Hopkins University says more than 38 million people have now been infected. The official global death toll is approaching 1.1 million.
In England, a new three-tier system of restrictions is now in effect. But the country's opposition leaders say a circuit breaker lockdown is needed to curb infection rates.
And in France, the positivity rate is now more than double what it was a month ago. That's despite restrictions in most major cities.
We have reporters all around the world this hour, covering the global spread of the coronavirus. But we'll start with CNN's Salma Abdelaziz in Northern England. And Salma has been tracking those U.K. restrictions, she is in the city of Liverpool where tensions over new rules are running high. And she joins us now live.
Good to see you, Salma. So, what is being said about these new restrictions? Talk to us about the response there.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN PRODUCER: Hello, Rosemary. So, Liverpool is waking up to a very different reality today. It is the first city in the country to fall under this three-tier system, as very high. That means they now have new restrictions that essentially shut down nightlife in the city, gyms, pubs, bars, anything that can operate as a restaurant must shut down, casinos as well.
And this will be for the next four weeks until it's reviewed by the government. But local city council officials are absolutely angry with the government over their handling of Liverpool. They say there was a lack of communication, there was a lack of cooperation.
They accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government of acting too little and too late. And their misgivings are also shared by the population of Liverpool.
It's important to remember this is a student city, so nightlife is very important to it. And far from sheltering in place, many of the city's young were out and about celebrating the last hours at the pub yesterday. Take a look at our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABDELAZIZ: Last call in Liverpool. Pubs must shut their doors for at least a month.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why isn't London shut down?
ABDELAZIZ: Tougher restrictions were ordered after a surge in COVID- 19 cases. But there is no socially distant farewell here. The proud port city, birthplace of The Beatles, home to a championship football team is the first to be classified as very high risk under England's new three-tier COVID alert system.
The government says the decision was driven by the data. The city has the highest number of coronavirus patients in the entire country. Local city councilman, Paul Brant, agrees the rapid rise in infections is a problem, but his consensus with London ends there. PAUL BRANT, PUBLIC HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE, LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL: A
rather toxic mix of arrogance and ignorance at the central government level has led us to the sorry state that we are in now. I think the evidence is clear now, that a short, sharp intervention, three, four weeks ago would have avoided the mess that we are in now.
ABDELAZIZ: The country's top scientists agree. Three weeks ago a government advisory body suggested a circuit breaker, a short but complete lockdown to reduce case numbers. Their advice went unheeded by Downing Street.
After months of controversy, over the government's handling of coronavirus, many people here say they are running out of patience and they are running low on trust.
[03:05:02]
There have always been tensions between the north of the country and the central government in London. But under the pandemic, the mistrust is growing.
For now, the city's iconic Beatles tours are still running, but tour guide, Jay Johnson says the country's ruling elite is failing its working class.
JAY JOHNSON, TOUR GUIDE, BEATLES MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR: Because I have no faith in them at all. They keep changing their minds, constant U- turn, one after another. I personally feel that the government isn't doing anything for us, the prime minister is not doing anything for us. The prime minister has never done enough for us.
ABDELAZIZ: And while public confidence dwindles by the day, the government is calling for immediate compliance to avoid a second wave of the pandemic that might be even deadlier than the first.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABDELAZIZ: Now, everyone here agrees that there is an issue, Rosemary. The number of infections is rising rapidly. You have many patients in hospital, and with the numbers that are placed, officials tell us that if this isn't stopped, you could look at an outbreak that is worse than the one in the spring, a more deadly second wave potentially.
So, everyone agrees something needs to be done to stem the rise in cases, but what, and when? That's the controversy, Rosemary.
CHURCH: Yes, that is a real concern. Salma Abdelaziz joining us live from Liverpool, many thanks.
All right, and now let's turn to Melissa Bell who is joining us live from Bordeaux in France. Just one of the European countries seeing a surge in coronavirus cases. So, Melissa, what is the situation there? And what new restrictions are being considered to respond to this surge in cases? MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we wait to hear from the
French president tonight, Rosemary. He'll be making -- he will be appearing on French television. We imagine, we expect with fresh restrictions, anything that would allow France to avoid a second general lockdown, or some of those hardest hit cities like the greater Paris region or the greater Marseille region a sort of localized lockdown there.
The economy simply couldn't take it. So, hard hit has it been by all that has happened so far and by the first failed radical lockdown that we saw in the spring. And, yes, it is those figures as you say, the positivity rate now nationally above 12 percent.
That is a rise of nearly three times on what it was on the 1st of September. It has risen very fast, and again, with those localized issues. The greater Paris region announcing now that 40 -- 44 percent of its ICU beds are taken up by COVID-19 patients and that is rising dramatically because we've seen a week last week of record rises set over -- several records set over the course of a week.
That will have a knock-on incidence. Of course, a few days a week down the line on ICU, and it is that ICU capacity. So, one of the measures that we anticipate, Emmanuel Macron possibly announcing tonight could be a system of curfews that might come into effect.
We've seen them introduced yesterday in the Netherlands, introduced also in the Czech Republic, just ensuring that people are home by a certain hour. It doesn't confine them to their houses as a second general lockdown would, but it certainly prevents younger people perhaps from being out and about, and the coronavirus being allowed to spread as widely as it has been, especially in those urban centers that have been so hard hit here in Europe, Rosemary, but that second wave.
CHURCH: All right, Melissa Bell, many thanks for that report.
With less than three weeks to go before the U.S. election, President Donald Trump is wasting no time getting back on the campaign trail. His latest rally coming Tuesday on the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
The event featured few masks and little physical distancing in a state where new COVID cases are said to be up 63 percent in the past month. The president told supporters he feels great now following his recent bout with the virus, and praised his doctors and medical treatment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I felt good very quickly.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: I don't know what it was, antibodies, antibodies. I don't know. I took it. I said I felt like superman. You know, I said, let me at them. No, and I could have been here four or five days ago. It's great. We had great doctors. I want to thank the doctors at Walter Reed and Johns Hopkins.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: One great thing about being president, if you're not feeling 100 percent, you have more doctors than you thought existed in the world. I was surrounded with, like, 14 of them. Where are you from? I'm from this one. Where are you from? I'm from Johns Hopkins. I'm from Walter Reed but what great talented people. They did a great job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Meanwhile, Democratic nominee Joe Biden met with senior citizens in Florida. His campaign views this demographic as key to victory in this battleground state. Listen as Biden slams the president's handling of the pandemic and his views on seniors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[03:09:58]
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It become painfully clear as his careless, arrogant, reckless COVID response has caused one of the worst tragedies in American history. The only senior that Donald Trump cares about, the only senior is the senior, Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: While Joe Biden slams Trump, the president is continuing his own attacks against his political rival on the campaign trail.
And as CNN's Jeremy Diamond reports, Dr. Anthony Fauci is a target as well.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Trump again the day on Tuesday attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci who has been talking about the very same rallies that President Trump hosted on Tuesday night, saying that they are a concern, particularly because of the lack of any social distancing, very few masks being worn here.
But the president carrying forward with this. He plans to hold a rally every day or grabs multiple rallies a day in the three weeks between now and election day. The president on Tuesday in Johnstown, Pennsylvania spending much of his time attacking former Vice President Joe Biden on issues like trade, and also of course on the energy issues that are important here in Pennsylvania like fracking.
But the president making false claims about Biden's record, claiming that he wants to ban fracking. That's not true. Biden only wants to stop the issuance of new permits for fracking on public lands but not ban fracking that's happening now.
And the president also making a play for an important demographic here in the state of Pennsylvania. And that is suburban women. Listen to how the president approach that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: I ask you to do me a favor. Suburban women, will you please like me?
(CROWD CHEERING)
TRUMP: Remember? Please. Please. I save your neighborhood, OK?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: Now what the president is referring to there is an Obama-era regulation that sought to desegregate the suburbs. That is the fair housing regulation that President Trump has abolished, and that he's now touting in his pitch to suburban women.
But what the president does seem to at least recognize here is that he is struggling with that key demographic which is so important to this must win state of Pennsylvania. But the problem is that the main issue on voters' minds including those suburban women that the president is targeting is the coronavirus pandemic.
And we know that cases in the United States are rising right now despite what President Trump said Tuesday night about this virus disappearing. Cases are rising in 33 states in the United States.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
CHURCH: And as we reported a short time ago, Joe Biden is reaching out to senior voters in the battleground state of Florida.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny explains why this group is so important to a Biden victory.
JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Three weeks before election day Joe Biden campaigning in critical Florida, trying to improve his standing among senior voters with President Donald Trump. Biden has been leading the way against the president for months, now he is extending that lead among the critical senior voters. It is because of the president's handling of coronavirus.
Now as the former vice president made the first speech here in Florida, he specifically talked about the president's own diagnosis and handling of his illness.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: I prayed for his recovery when he got COVID. I had hoped at least he would come out of it somewhat chasten. But what has he done? He has just doubled down on the misinformation he did before making it worse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Biden, extending his pitch to seniors on social security saying he will preserve that entitlement for older Americans. This is a critical electoral bloc here in Florida and indeed around the country. And Joe Biden is leading the way among seniors. This is a group that Donald Trump won four years ago.
No question Florida is one of the most important states in the country, President Trump of course campaigned on Monday, be coming back to the state on Friday. Joe Biden talking about why these 29 electoral votes are so key.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: Here in Florida you can determine and outcome of this election. We weigh in Florida and it's all over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: And Joe Biden might also be getting an assist from former President Barack Obama on the campaign trail. We are told that the former president will be joining this Democratic race next week for the first-time campaigning in early voting states, particularly going after African American voters, Latino voters, and young voters.
They are trying to get those voters in particular to vote for Joe Biden. And we could also see in the final days of this race that all pair back together again on the campaign trail campaigning side by side, Biden and Obama.
Jeff Zeleny, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.
CHURCH: Joining us now is CNN senior writer and political analyst, Harry Enten. Great to see you, Harry.
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL WRITER AND ANALYST: My pleasure to be with you.
CHURCH: So, early voting shows people wake waiting up to eight hours to cast their ballot, certainly in Georgia, some Democrats still nervous though about a repeat of 2016 despite Donald Trump trailing his rival Joe Biden. What are the polls telling you?
[03:15:04]
ENTEN: Yes. I mean, look. I hear this 2016 comparison an awful lot, and you know, Hillary Clinton was in the lead at this particular point in the 2016 campaign, but her lead looks nothing like what Joe Biden looks like right now. Joe Biden is ahead by 11 points. Hillary Clinton was ahead was just by 6.
But more than, Joe Biden has been consistently above 50 percent, while Hillary Clinton never reach that 50 percent threshold at this point in the campaign. So even if Donald Trump wins all the undecided voters Joe Biden would still be ahead. That's very different than it was four years ago where Trump won a lot of those late deciding voters and they were the ones who helped put him over the top.
CHURCH: Right. So national polls of course are one thing. It's the Electoral College that decides this. What do polls in battleground states indicate in terms of shifts in voting groups? ENTEN: Yes. You know, I took a look at the six closest states that
Donald Trump won four years ago. And take a look at these states now and what you see is you see Joe Biden is ahead not in one of them, not in two, but in all six of those states he is ahead.
And in states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, he holds significant 8, 9-point leads. And the fact of the matter is Joe Biden wins that the states Hillary Clinton won four years ago plus Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, that gets him over 270 electoral votes.
CHURCH: Do you think that will calm some of the Democrats' nerves? So, when you look at all these polls, it appears that Biden is doing very well. But Trump insists he has a path to victory. Do you see it?
ENTEN: I mean, look, we still have three weeks to go so we'll have to wait and see. But you know, another way of sort of getting at this is sort of the states that around the periphery, right? That the candidates might carry if they blow someone out.
And if you look at these states, the states that last time around Hillary Clinton won say, by three points or less, those are the states that Trump wants to reach and win. And you look at the Biden reaches the states that Trump won by 5 to 10 points in 2016, what do you see?
And the states that are essentially the Trump reaches, Biden is well ahead on all of them by 7 to 15 points. While in the Biden reaches, Biden actually has nominal edges in three of those four states.
So, at this particular point, look, we're still three weeks to go, you know, I'll say that over and over again. Right now, Trump, if the election were held today, he might have a path but it would be a very, very narrow path.
CHURCH: Harry Enten, always a pleasure to chat with you. Many thanks.
ENTEN: Thank you.
CHURCH: He's good. And for more on Harry's analysis just head to cnn.com and check out his latest article on the politics page.
And still ahead here on CNN Newsroom, Democrats try to grill President Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court. But Amy Coney Barrett sidesteps key questions in her hearing.
Plus, an alleged domestic terror plot in the U.S. may have had more than one high-profile target. New details from the FBI. That's coming up.
[03:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: President Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court has wrapped up her second day of hearings before the Senate judiciary committee. Amy Coney Barrett was grilled on hot button issues including healthcare, abortion and a potential election-related case. But the judge provided mostly vague answers when asked to elaborate on
her legal views. Instead, she insisted she would have no political agenda when ruling on issues like the Affordable Care Act.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMY CONEY BARRETT, U.S. SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: I have the integrity to act consistently with my oath and apply the law as the law. To approach the ACA in every other statute without bias and I have not made any commitments or deals or anything like that. I am not here on a mission to destroy the Affordable Care Act. I'm just here to apply the law and adhere to the rule of law.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Barrett will face more questions from senators in the coming hours. Her confirmation is all but guaranteed and would cement a conservative majority on the high court.
Joining us now is CNN legal analyst and former assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York state, Elie Honig. Good to have you with us.
ELIE HONIG, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Thanks for having me, Rosemary.
CHURCH: So, Judge Amy Coney Barrett refused to say how she would rule an upcoming case like the Affordable Care Act and abortion rights, same sex marriage, gun rights. She just said no one ever talked about any case with her before the nomination. What did you make of her answers to these questions about how she might rule on contentious issue?
HONIG: Yes, so today we saw a sort of, I guess, frustrating dance where the Democrats were trying to get her to give some indication of where she might be leaning on these cases, or what her overall judicial philosophy is and she really gave them next to nothing to go.
And I thought that was a really memorable moment when Amy Coney Barrett held up her no pattern. It was blank. And I think both sides saw that their own way. The Republicans saw that as well, look at the mastery she's demonstrating. She doesn't even need notes or talking points.
I think Democrats took that moment as sort of symbolic of the fact that she really offered almost nothing in the way of substance today. I think you have to read between the lines a little bit as to what she was and was not willing to say.
And a key thing was this argument about precedent. Under what circumstances will you change an existing decision, Roe versus Wade, of course, being the most important one of those.
CHURCH: Right. And Judge Barrett wouldn't answer the question put to her about how she would rule if President Trump tried to delay the election. Why would she not answer that directly given it's pretty clear cut, or recuse herself from any election-related case? HONIG: Yes, it's a good question. When she was asked does the
president have the power to delay the election? The answer should have just been straight up n-o, no. Our Constitution is clear, only Congress has that power. It's not going to happen we're three weeks away.
There's another question that you talk about, if there is an election- related case, a dispute, a Biden versus Trump which could happen, we don't know, will she recuse herself because President Trump publicly, essentially said we need to get or through, we need nine justices in case there's an election dispute.
Only Amy Coney Barrett can make that decision for herself. Nobody can force her to recuse. I think it's pretty clear she will not recuse. But that decision is entirely up to the Supreme Court justice herself.
CHURCH: Yes. And there is an inevitability about all of this, isn't it? So, what do you expect to come out of the third day of confirmation hearings for Judge Barrett getting underway in just a few hours from now? And what will you be looking for?
HONIG: I think we'll see a continuation of really, two fights, two sides fighting different battles. On the one hand, the Republicans just want to just get this done. They want to get Amy Coney Barrett confirmed. They want to get a robe on her before election day. Because if and when they do, and they will, there will be a six to three conservative majority in the Supreme Court that could last for many years.
I think the Democrats are playing a different game. I think they understand they can't stop this nomination. It's just math. The Republicans have the majority. I think Democrats are making a pitch here to voters, they are really focusing on the Affordable Care Act, not even in a legal way, but in a visceral emotional way.
We saw today photographs of people who rely on health insurance. And I think Democrats are really making their pitch to voters who are watching. I would expect that to continue in day two of the questioning of Judge Barrett.
CHURCH: Right. Elie Honig, thank you so much. We appreciate your legal analysis on all of this.
HONIG: Thanks, Rosemary. My pleasure.
CHURCH: Well chilling details are emerging about an alleged domestic terrorism plots in the United States.
[03:25:00]
This, as court proceedings begin for some of the 13 suspects. A federal judge ordered three of them held without bail Tuesday. And an FBI agent gave shocking testimony about the accusations against them.
Brynn Gingras has our report. BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michigan's Governor Gretchen Whitmer wasn't the only sitting governor with a target on her back by a group of alleged extremists. Virginia's Governor Ralph Northam was also ide by the 13 men charged in and alleged domestic terrorist plot foiled by the FBI.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RALPH NORTHAM (D-VA): We don't work under a cloud of intimidation and I continue to serve Virginia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: The new details of the chilling scheme were revealed by an FBI agent during a bond hearing where three of the six men were charged federally were denied released. The other men are charged at the state level.
The agent testified that in an early June meeting the group discussed possible targets including taking out a sitting governor but specifically, governors of Michigan and Virginia over shutdown orders due to the coronavirus. An informant who attended that meeting, flag the potential violence to the FBI.
Whitmer and Northam, both Democrats and both criticized for their response to COVID-19 in their states, particularly from the president who said this about Northam in May.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I might, be careful. I might. I'll be there. We're going to -- we're going after Virginia with your crazy governor, we're going after Virginia. They want to take your Second Amendment, you know that, right?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: Trump early on in the pandemic also singled out the two states in tweets. Liberate Michigan and liberate Virginia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NORTHAM: When languages used such as to liberate Virginia, people, they find meaning in those words, and thus these things happen and that's regrettable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: The White House said in a statement, the president condemns white supremacists and passed the blamed to both governors. Saying they are sowing division. It's not clear if the group's alleged plans were inspired by the president's tweets, but the agent testified that they did want to carry out the kidnapping of Whitmer by election day.
Their idea in part called for sending an explosive device to her vacation home. In another option, the agent testified they wanted to quote, "take her out on the boat and leave her out in the middle of lake Michigan by disabling the engine."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER (D-MI): I knew this job would be hard. But I'll be honest, I never could've imagined anything like this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: A federal complaint unsealed last week shows the men, some recruited from an anti-government group called Wolverine Watchmen, connected to rallies, meetings and social media. Together they planned, practiced and even conducted surveillance in the hopes of executing their missions which also included storming Michigan's capitol building in warding off law enforcement by blowing up their vehicles according to the complaint.
Brynn Gingras, CNN, New York.
CHURCH: Still ahead, coronavirus cases are on the rise here in the United States. But two major drug and vaccine trials have been put on hold this week. We will explain what's going on.
Plus, China is not taking any chances when it comes to a new COVID outbreak. Its extreme texting measures when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:30:00]
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back everyone. More on our top story. The coronavirus pandemic. John Hopkins University says more than 38 million cases have been confirmed worldwide. The official death toll is nearing 1.1 million. Experts say it's likely the true numbers of infections and deaths are much higher. Countries are grappling with how to get a handle on the pandemic.
In England a new three tier system of restrictions comes into effect today. The city of Liverpool is facing the toughest new rules, with pubs, gyms and casinos forced to close.
Meanwhile in China, a massive testing effort continues, after a new COVID cluster emerges in Qingdao. So far, more than 7 million people have been tested.
For the latest CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins us now live from Hong Kong. And the numbers are just extraordinary. Talk to us about just how reliable these results are.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and that is the critical question right now, reliability. Just how reliable is this type of mass testing scheme? Especially at such a mind-boggling scale. As reported, the city of Qingdao, this port city of northeastern China has tested over 7.5 million people there in just a matter of days. 4 million test results have already been returned.
According to city officials, they say that they have not found any additional positive COVID-19 test detected as a result of this ongoing test. And was sparked all of this was affect over the weekend they detected 12 COVID-19 positive cases in the city of 9 million. As a result of a five-day testing blitz is underway to make sure that they cannot find any more additional cases. That there is no further outbreak.
And this type of rapid mass testing scheme has happened before in China, in places like Beijing, Dalian, in Xinjiang, as well as in Wuhan. And it's believed that this is the type of operation that brings down the rate of infection in China. But to do it as such a scale, how does China do it?
Well, it involves something called pool testing. It involves, you know, hundreds of testing centers, also thousands of staffers, in with pool testing a pool of about three to 10 samples are then taken and tested. If a team test it and it test negative they move on to the next batch, if it test positive, then they conduct more in-depth tests, carrying individual tests to see exactly who in that pool has tested positive.
Some experts in disease research, I spoke to here in Hong Kong say that this pool testing method is precise. It's fast but it may only provide a snapshot, not a complete picture. I want you to listen to what this top virologist at the Hong Kong University School of Medicine told me early about this mass testing scheme.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIN DONG-YAN, VIROLOGY PROFESSOR, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY: I think that mass testing at these scales is actually a waste of resources and it may not be helpful in many different contexts. Because positive patients actually being picked up over a range of time is not -- just a snapshot. So, this is just a snapshot. So, it definitely -- it will means a lot of positive individuals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Dr. Jin Dong-Yan there of Hong Kong University saying that this type of mass testing, rapid testing scheme that's currently underway in Qingdao is quote, may be a waste of resources. Because it only offers a snapshot. If they're trying to find any additional true positive cases of infection, five days is not enough. At minimum they would need a week. Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right. Kristie Lu Stout, many thanks for that. I appreciate it. Well, now let's head to Mexico where authorities say a patient has tested positive for both COVID-19 and the flu.
CNN's Matt Rivers has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well here in Mexico City this week for the first time, health authorities have announced publicly that they have identified a case where a patient has tested positive not only for COVID-19, but also for influenza. This patient has both of these viruses at the same time.
The patient were told as a 54-year-old. That has a medical history that includes auto immune disease, cancer, obesity, and chronic lung disease. Health authorities say that the patient remains hospitalized, and is in stable condition.
[03:35:04]
Now, doctors don't know exactly yet, what happens when you have COVID- 19 and influenza at the same time. This is still very much being studied. But according to John Hopkins medicine, doctors are worried that the results, the impact could be even more severe than having either infection alone. It is why health authorities, doctors, hospitals are going to be looking at cases like the one I just told you about very closely, over the coming months, as we move into and through flu season.
It's certainly something that they're going to be worried about. Meanwhile here in Mexico this pandemic just continues with hundreds of people on average dying every single day as a result of the coronavirus. And thousands of new cases also on average continued be recorded each day.
Matt Rivers, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And back here in the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci says rising tests positivity rates could signal a tough autumn and winter to come.
CNN's Jacqueline Howard looks at the numbers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: Rosemary, we are seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases. We are seeing an uptick in hospitalizations. Here in the U.S., this might be the start of the fall and winter surge that experts have warned us about. Here's a look at the numbers. 33 states are reporting increases in new COVID-19 cases, the U.S. is now averaging more than 49,000 people a day with new infections. That's up about 13 percent from the previous week.
When it comes to hospitalizations, at least 11 states have seen record high numbers since Friday, and there are now more than 35,000 people in the hospital with COVID-19 across the country. Now that we're in the fall and winter is ahead of us, experts are saying we have to try to turn this around. Wear a mask, physical distance, wash your hands, Rosemary.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: All right. Thanks so much for that. Well, another coronavirus drug trial is on hold. Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly says it's pausing its trial of a COVID antibody treatment for safety reasons. The company didn't elaborate, it comes just one day after Johnson & Johnson suspended phase three of its vaccine trial after a volunteer got sick.
It's not uncommon of course for trials like these to be paused. But Eli Lilly's antibody treatment was recently praised by U.S. President Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Regeneron, I view it as a cure. Not just a therapeutic. I view it as a cure, because I took it in. Eli Lilly has a great drug. So we have these drugs Eli Lilly and the others that are so good. Eli Lilly has something very comparable, it's phenomenal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is following the trial and the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has put their trial on pause, they said the pause was requested by the data safety and monitoring board that's a board that's overlooking this trial to make sure that everyone stays safe. The company did not say exactly what happened. But usually when trials are put on hold, it's because a participant in the trial, a study subject has become ill.
And they need to make sure, did the vaccine play a role in this. Sometimes people just get sick. And they would have anyhow. Sometimes participants get sick because they get a vaccine and it's actually the vaccine that had something to do with the illness. So, this needs to be investigated.
Now, Eli Lilly has already applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to put their drug on the market. It's not clear what this pause might mean for this application. What we know is that if indeed this is because a participant became ill, safety experts will do an investigation and will try to figure out was the illness a fluke or was it related to the vaccine. Rosemary back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Thanks so much for that Elizabeth.
Well, in the U.S. state of Texas, one Trump supporter thought the coronavirus pandemic was an overblown scam by the media. Even calling it a scandemic. Then he caught COVID-19 and became very sick. The virus spread to more than a dozen family members and two later died. Now he's telling his story. Tony Green spoke earlier with CNN's Alison Camerota.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: You organized, a relatively small family gathering just six people, you your partner, both of your parents, I think it was outside and then what ended up happening?
TONY GREEN, HOSTED EVENT WHERE FAMILY GOT SICK: We all got together, there was no symptoms. Governor Abbott came along earlier that week -- which was June 12th, and he had said that smaller gatherings should be, you know, considered a little bit more safe.
[03:40:00]
And there were increasing the restaurant and bar capacity from 50 to 75 percent. So, by that point it really seemed like, you know, the worst was behind us. And you know, OK well, we haven't seen each other, in a couple of months here. Let's try just to get together and just enjoy ourselves at the home.
CAMEROTA: And then how soon after that did you end some of your loved ones start feeling symptoms?
GREEN: Well that's important. You know, our symptoms began to develop very quickly. And you know, they're talking about an incubation day of -- incubation time that's upwards of 14 days. And that was not the case with us for sure. For certainly someone was a host, that was here at the house, but there was also -- you know, I mean, a total of six people, that were sick within a matter of maybe 48 hours. If you get on that, maybe 72 hours. That it had transferred over to 14 total.
CAMEROTA: And Tony, at your worst, what were your symptoms?
GREEN: I felt like a radiating heat on the inside. Like, you know, just my body was just vibrating from the inside out. My eyes felt like they were in a fishbowl just kind of bouncing around not still looking at them. Little bit of a headache issue, you know, the very like mid part of my head. Beyond that, not a lot.
My appetite was still there. I didn't lose my taste buds and have really a cough. I didn't have a lot of congestion or anything like that. But those were predominantly the symptoms. A little bit of vertigo and dizziness. And that's what led me to being in the hospital. And that was on June 24th.
I thought it was over it. You know, I didn't go out, do anything. I just stayed here at home and I did some projects. I felt great (inaudible) then three days and then all of a sudden, bam, I just -- I hit the staircase like I was drunken and paralyzed.
CAMEROTA: Oh my gosh, it sounds horrible. And I know that two of your family members died, including your father in law, who you are really close to. He was just 52 years old. And I know that you've been devastated by that loss. And so, I know that you say, you feel horribly guilty about all this. I mean, why do you blame yourself?
GREEN: Well you know, I'm kind of explained it a couple of ways, and really the way that it sends a message is I feel like a drunk driver that killed his family. I know logically that you know, we all came here on our encore. We knew that you know, there was a possible risk. But, you know, it's my home. I'm the one that hosted it. And you know somebody got sick, we don't know who, you know, actually brought it in. It very well may have been my father in law, we don't know.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And for more information about how you can help people and businesses impacted by COVID-19, just visit our website, CNN.com/impact.
Well, calls for police reform are growing in Nigeria. And they are getting help from international celebrities like Kanye West. A live report from Lagos coming up.
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[03:45:00]
CHURCH: Well in the day ahead thousands of people are expected to flood the streets of Thailand for another round of anti-government protests. It comes after street clashes broke out on Tuesday as police attempted to disperse a large crowd of demonstrators. At least 21 people were detained, including one of the leaders of the movement.
Authorities say protesters blocked off a road, and threw paint at some of the officers, demonstrators have been marching on the street for weeks calling for a new constitution as well as reforms to the monarchy.
Well, the world is watching as an attempt at police reform gets underway in Nigeria. Days ago a police unit accused of brutality, kidnapping and killings was disbanded after nationwide protests and demands from international celebrities.
A re-branded Nigerian police unit called special weapons and tactics or SWAT has been organized and includes members of that disbanded group. Nigeria's police inspector general says SWAT is committed to reform and he's calling for calm while the group undergoes training.
CNN's Stephanie Busari joins us now live from Lagos with more on all of this. Stephanie 10 people have died in these ongoing protests. So, how does this re-banded police unit made up of the very same men who committed these brutal acts, how does that constitute reform?
STEPHANIE BUSARI, CNN PRODUCER: Good morning, Rosemary, it's raining cats and dogs here in Lagos. And that's the same question that protesters are asking. And they are demanding answers to say that they want more accountability. And they are still marching, even in the rain. It's down pour is not going to dampen the demands or the moods of this activism, they say.
They want the inspected general to resign. They're calling for his resignation, they are saying that his men are clearly not listening to him, because that we are seeing active police brutality, police opening live ammunition on protesters demonstrating peacefully.
And they're also saying, why is this unit set up so quickly without any consultation? And why the officers from this unit from the former unit going to be part of this? For its part the IGP, the Inspector General says, these men and women are going to be re-trained and given medical examinations and psychological tests to ensure that they fit to be part of this new unit. But some, you know, the protesters are calling for more accountability about the police brutality that we've seen.
CHURCH: And Stephanie, in contrast to the police brutality, protesters have been peaceful. What have you witnessed on the ground there? And what have victims been telling you?
BUSARI: Yes, one of the victims we spoke to was arrested along with another female protester and she told us that she was beaten very, very severely, during the arrest. And she has shown us some very graphic images of the bruises and the ways that she developed after this arrest.
And but in contrast to these images of brutality, frankly, what we're seeing on the ground is peaceful protest. A sense of camaraderie. The protesters are even cleaning up their trash. That's what we witnessed out on the streets here in Lagos at the protest sites that we've been to.
They've organized medical help, lawyers to bail out arrested protesters and so really what we're seeing is in contrast to the police response, which has been a most parts brute force. Rosemary.
CHURCH: Stephanie Busari in Lagos, many thanks for bringing us up to date on this very important story. And for more on this, just visit our website, Stephanie's latest article, just posted on CNN.com.
And still to come, Florida went for Donald Trump in 2016, but with the pandemic dragging on, we'll the state's seniors stand behind him again? We will hear from some of those voters. Plus Demi Lovato takes aim at the U.S. President. Our exclusive interview with the popstar on her new politically-charged song. That's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:50:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody has come out to vote here. Lines around the corner.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: You see them there, long lines and widespread technical issues mob the first day of early voting in Texas. The Houston metro area shattered its previous record for first day turnout. Enthusiasm is remarkably high this year. Voter registration has hit a whopping 97 percent in the Texas capital of Austin and its surrounding county.
Senior voters in the critical battleground state of Florida, may suddenly be in play. They tend to lean Republican in Florida went for Donald Trump back in 2016, but four years and one pandemic later, our seniors still with him? CNN's Randi Kaye went to find out. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm definitely voting for Joe Biden. There is nothing that Donald Trump can do at this point in time that would change my mind about that.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's a huge statement coming from this lifelong Republican who voted for Donald Trump in 2016. But Steven Staruch is 67, a senior citizen and part of the group considered one of the most vulnerable to COVID-19. He's so turned off by Trump, he's now a registered independent and Biden supporter. He says Trump's mismanagement of the pandemic was the final straw. Especially his messaging on masks.
STEVEN STARUCH, BIDEN SUPPORTER: So the fact that he's not listening to the scientist is really concerning. And the fact that he's ignoring it, in fact encouraging the opposite is just really dangerous. He's taken people's lives into his hands.
KAYE: do you believe the president when he says that a vaccine is just days or weeks away.
STARUCH: No he's lied about it several times now. It has really affects his credibility. So whatever comes out of his mouth, you just don't believe.
KAYE: For the senior Dave Davidson also supported Trump in 2016, but not this year. Even though he's registered Republican.
So what is it about the pandemic that he didn't handle right in your opinion?
DAVE DAVIDSON, BIDEN SUPPORTER: Starting with the very beginning not giving me the truth.
KAYE: He didn't want anybody to panic.
DAVIDSON: He didn't want anybody to panic. And that's a wonderful thing, however wouldn't it be nice for us to have all the information and then make our decisions?
KAYE: Unlike his neighbors, Republican John Calandro is voting Trump. Just like he did in 2016. At 74, he says it's about personal responsibility. That senior should know how to protect themselves.
When you say the president handled the pandemic well, right now we see there's an increase in cases in 33 states, 215,000 Americans are dead. Wisconsin is now opening a field hospital they're seeing such a spike, hospitalizations are up once again, how did he handle that well?
JOHN CALANDRO, TRUMP SUPPORTER: We deliver health care in this country through state and local governments. The federal government has a responsibility to support that, we have to look at how those states have handled the pandemic within their own regions. And whether or not they have done a good job.
KAYE: So you're saying it's not the president's fault?
CALANDRO: I'm saying the president is not the sole responsible person for how the pandemic was handled.
KAYE: Tell that to Florida voter Michele Yeger who's turning 70 this week. She blames Trump's attitude and lack of action early on for the virus spread. And won't vote for him again. She was a registered Republican in 2016 when she voted for Trump. But she since switch to independent and his supporting Biden.
MICHELE YEGER, BIDEN SUPPORTER: Had he listen to the CDC and Dr. Fauci and the leaders who are, the science leaders, we might have been able to save many, many lives.
[03:55:09]
But because of him and him being having narcissism and being ego driven, he thought it was macho not to wear a mask.
KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN. Sumter County, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: President Trump is taking some heat from one of the biggest music stars in the world. Demi Lovato has a new song blasting the president's handling in a number of crises. She spoke about it with CNN's Chloe Melas in this exclusive interview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHLOE MELAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Demi Lovato is calling out President Donald Trump in her new song, commander-in-chief, for what she says is his mishandling of racial injustice and the COVID-19 pandemic. Demi Lovato spoke to CNN about the songs message.
(DEMI LOVATO'S NEW MUSIC PLAYING)
DEMI LOVATO, SINGER AND SONG WRITER: It's very important for me that I get to use my platform for something much bigger than just singing. And there's been so many times when I wanted to write the president a letter, or sit down with him and ask him these questions, and then I thought, well, -- I don't really actually want to do that.
And I think one way that I can do that it is writing a song and releasing and for the whole world to hear. And then he has to answer those questions to everybody and not just me.
MELAS: Lovato who has over 150 million fans in social media says that she's not looking for the song to divide the nation. She actually hopes it encourages her fans to vote in next month's election.
(DEMI LOVATO'S NEW MUSIC PLAYING)
LOVATO: We have to show up. We have to turn up and vote, because it's so important, that our voices are heard. You know, and honestly, for me whether you are a Republican or Democrat, just get out and vote. Just get out and vote so that at the end of the day, whatever happens, whoever wins, we can actually look and say, well, you know what, at least everyone got out there and voted and did their part. And our country spoke.
MELAS: Lovato will be performing this song for the very first time tonight at the Billboard Awards.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: And thanks so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. I'll be back in just a moment with another hour of CNN Newsroom. Do stay with us.
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