Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Athlete Pull Out Over Increasing COVID Cases; England Push its Lifting of Restrictions; Unvaccinated Population Puts Everyone at Risk; L.A. County Sheriff Won't Force People to Wear Mask; Flooding in Germany Left Hundreds Homeless; Empathy Knows No Faith; Limited Attendees Allowed This Year's Hajj; Many Are Still Skeptical to Get COVID Vaccine; Mysterious Illness Found in Austria; Taliban Forces Not Fan of Peace Talks; Collin Morikawa Breaks New Record. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired July 19, 2021 - 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)

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Just days before the opening ceremony, a top U.S. tennis star, drops out of the Olympics as the number of coronavirus link to the games continues to rise.

And just hours before England lifted its remaining COVID restrictions, the British prime minister announced he's self-isolating after contact with the health secretary who has tested positive. And the German chancellor gets a firsthand look at the devastation left by days of historic flooding.

Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

With just four days to go until the opening ceremonies, the number of COVID cases linked to the 2020 Olympic Games has risen to 58. This includes American tennis hopeful Cori Coco Gauff who announced on Sunday she was pulling out of the competition. Coronavirus cases are rising in Japan and its raising fears the games which start on Friday could turn into a super global spreader event.

CNN's Blake Essig joins us from Tokyo. Blake, with the growing number of cases Olympic organizers must be scrambling to deal with the fallout. What's the latest?

BLAKE ESSIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kim. Look, I mean, the health and safety concern remain a big issue here in Japan, and a main reason why these games continue to be so deeply unpopular. But just last week International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said that the risk of COVID-19 spreading because of the Olympics is zero. But a growing number of cases are increasingly testing Olympic organizers' promise that they'll be able to deliver a safe and secure Olympic Games. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MASA TAKAYA, SPOKESMAN, TOKYO 2020: Olympics is a safe place to stay. We cannot say there will be no positive cases within the Olympic community. Given the situation that we have a massive number of people are, you know, engaged within this project.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ESSIG (on camera): And there have been positive cases so far. So far, 58 people involved with the games have tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Japan, with the first cases being reported over the weekend from inside the Olympic village. That included two players and a video analyst from South Africa's football team. There is also a growing list of athletes and Olympic related personnel who have been forced into isolation after being considered close contacts with people who tested positive.

The most recent includes at least 21 people who were close contacts with those members of the South African football team, and six athletes and two staff members from the British Olympic team who came into contact with someone who tested positive on their flight into Japan.

There's no question these are difficult times here in Japan. Cases related to the Olympics are piling up daily, and separately the cases continue to surge amongst the Japanese people here in the capital. Kim?

BRUNHUBER: All right, thanks so much, Blake Essig in Tokyo. I appreciate it.

All right. Let's turn now to CNN sports analyst Christine Brennan who is also in Tokyo. Thanks so much for joining us.

I want to start with the number of athletes who have dropped out because of COVID and the games haven't even started yet obviously. How badly do you think the missing athletes and the loss of the star power will disrupt the games from a sporting point of view?

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: Kim, it's certainly hard to tell what the final count will be and the final numbers will be. But I think right now the Olympics can weather these losses. In other words, the games will move on and the swimming and track and field and so many other sports, gymnastics, of course, with the great Simone Biles.

I think that they will be missed, but I think the overwhelming headlines will be about the athletes who are here. Now, if this continues even more, if it gets to the point where there are bigger names yet to come, especially like men's basketball, women's basketball, et cetera, then I think you could see this becoming more of a headline. But right now, I think the news is important, but I don't think it is devastating for the Olympic Games.

BRUNHUBER: But then, you know, beyond the drop-outs, how big of a problem is the danger that athletes might miss their events because of the uncertainty over COVID tests and, you know, possible, you know, contamination, contacts with infected people and so on? BRENNAN: I thought, Kim, this would be the biggest story of the

Olympics. I've thought that for several months.

[03:05:01]

The possibility of being contact traced right out of your event, can you imagine? You've spent five years, not just four, five years waiting for this moment. And because of a brush up against someone in the hallway or a few minutes here or there potentially, you could lose your chance at not only an Olympic medal, but just being able to participate.

I think that is the great fear here. And there is so much unknown. I think the most important thing to say journalistically as we sit here as I have just arrived in Tokyo, the USA Today offices in the press center, is that we don't know. We don't know if there is going to be an explosion of COVID cases. We don't know if there will be issues where lots of athletes are contact traced out of their opportunities to compete, or we don't know if it's going to go off OK.

I think that's -- that's where we are. When you're trying to have an Olympics in the middle of the pandemic, that's where you are with about five days, four or five days to go before the opening ceremonies.

BRUNHUBER: Despite all the precautions and despite the fact that organizers have been changing and adjusting their protocols to try to deal with this, there have been growing cases in the Olympic village. You were, I understand, I was following you on Twitter there, you were at the organizing committee press conference today. How are they planning on getting a handle on the situation?

BRENNAN: Well, they said that even though there have been obviously as reported, over 50, what, 58 now reports of COVID cases involving Olympic people that are involved with the Olympic Games. And of course, the South African men's football soccer team is by far the biggest news right now. What they say is robust reaction to it. Spokesperson was talking about that, that basically if there is something that happens, you immediately isolate them, continue the testing, put them in quarantine.

Right now, you can do that with the few cases. But if there were to become, in a doomsday scenario, Kim, more cases, many, many more, dozens or hundreds, no indication that will be the case, but if that happens, then I don't know how quickly you can isolate everyone. So, they say it's the reaction as much as it is the actual finding out about COVID cases.

BRUNHUBER: So, for the athletes getting vaccinated is optional. Some have chosen not to do so. I'm trying not to make this a leading question because I know you've been quite critical of some U.S. athletes who have chosen not to be vaccinated. Vaccinations aren't going to guarantee to stop infections, but still, what, you know, with everything that's going on now, does it really underscore the potential folly of skipping the shots for athletes to whom it's available? BRENNAN: I think a case can be made, Kim, that vaccines should have

been mandatory. It is not a right to be an Olympian, it is a privilege. And I think we would be looking at a very different Olympics if vaccines had been mandatory. Now, I realize there are people around the world watching this saying, that's not fair. What about the countries that didn't have the opportunities that, say, the U.S. did to get vaccines early? I get that. Maybe there was a way to get those vaccines into arms quicker in some of those nations that would have needed that.

But because vaccines are not mandatory, everything starts from that sentence, and everything cascades down from that point. And so, yes, the American swimmer Michael Andrew not vaccinated, that becomes a problem for the U.S. swim team. Will they be able to weather that? Hopefully they will and hopefully there will be no incidents at all. But when you have unvaccinated athletes in your midst, that adds to the layers of concern. That's what this is all about right now.

The ultimate concern, the worries, the fears that something terrible could happen here in terms of COVID, that hasn't happened yet, and let's hope it doesn't. But if it does, I think the unvaccinated could play a big role if that, in fact, were to become the story.

BRUNHUBER: Let's hope it doesn't as you say. Christine Brennan, we look forward to your reporting from the games. Thanks so much for being with us.

BRENNAN: Kim, thank you very much.

BRUNHUBER: Today is England's long-awaited Freedom Day, the day the country lifts nearly all of its remaining social distancing restrictions. But so far, at least it doesn't seem very free. There are red flags galore, not the least of which is the surge in case count in the U.K., about 50,000 new infections per day.

And then there is the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, who has been forced to self-isolate after coming into contact with the British health secretary who has tested positive for the virus himself. So even as England ditches the mask mandates and capacity limits at bars, restaurants, shops, sports venues, Johnson is urging caution, but also says it's a risk worth taking. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We don't do it now, we're going to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it? So, this is the right moment. But we've got to do it cautiously. We've got to remember that this virus is sadly still out there. Cases are rising. We can see the extreme contagiousness of the Delta variant.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:10:02]

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Phil Black is in London for us. Phil, let's start with Freedom Day. Is there a celebratory mood there in the streets of London?

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No real celebration, no triumphant return to normal life in England. The mood is I guess more resigned which fits the prime minister's logic and his often-repeated question that you essentially heard there, if we don't do it now, when should we do it.

And that logic essentially says there is no good time to do this. You're going to get a wave of cases inevitably, so better to do it in the summer months, better to do it when you've just hit a point where around two-thirds of the adult population is now vaccinated. And this prime minister, who throughout the pandemic has loved to talk about his libertarian instincts wants to do this because he wants to restore people's freedoms, the sense of choice to their lives. He wants to create opportunities for economic opportunity.

All of these things have of course been desperately missed through the pandemic, but the prime minister, the government is proceeding despite having been presented by their own scientific advisers, a list of definite and potential consequence, some of them very serious here. We know the cases are going to continue to soar further. There are going to be more infections. That will inevitably mean more people falling seriously ill.

The question is how many more and to what degree the health system is going to come under pressure in the coming months. Some of the forecasts suggest it is going to come under incredible pressure, perhaps as great or greater than previous waves that have been experienced here.

There is also the likely consequence of more people experiencing long COVID. This is particularly a concern for children because they are the ones -- children and young people really because they are the ones that currently do not have significant protection through the vaccine program.

And there is another big warning, and this is one that could impact everyone everywhere, and that is scientists say the government's own scientists say that by creating these circumstances where you have high prevalence of the virus in a population where there is significant immunity, you are creating the circumstances where you are most likely to see a new variant emerge that is better at beating the existing vaccines.

So, there are tremendous potential consequence here. There is a great deal at stake. This is a hugely significant day for Britain. For the first time in its pandemic experience, a big part of the United Kingdom is going to be managing a wave through simply allowing it to run its course and no one is precisely sure how that is going to end. At this point, Kim, I've lost my audio connection to you, so I'm throwing back to you in the studio.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Well, we heard you, Phil Black in London, thank you so much. I appreciate it.

The Delta variant is also driving COVID case numbers higher in nearly every U.S. state. Just have a look here at this map showing increases week over week. The dark red indicates states where cases are up at least 50 percent. Health experts warn that the Delta variant is hitting unvaccinated Americans hard.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT GOTTLIEB, FORMER COMMISSIONER, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION: And this virus is so contagious, this variant is so contagious that it's going to infect the majority, most people will either get vaccinated or have been previously infected or they will get this Delta variant. And for most people who get this Delta variant it's going to be the most serious virus that they get in their lifetime in terms of the risk of putting them in the hospital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): Well, less than half of the U.S. population is vaccinated. The Biden administration places some of the blame on the health misinformation. The U.S. surgeon general says countering is a matter of both life and liberty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIVEK MURTHY, U.S SURGEON GENERAL: We are seeing proliferation of information online. And we know that health misinformation harms people's health. It costs them their lives. I've seen that as a doctor over the years, as patients have struggled with health misinformation. Here's a key thing to remember. Health misinformation takes away our freedom and our power to make decisions for us and for our families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: In Los Angeles County, masks are mandatory once again as new infections and hospitalizations skyrocket. L.A. County health officials say infections have spiked 300 percent in the last two weeks. Now experts are trying anything they can to help patients get better, even after they leave the hospital.

CNN's Paul Vercammen reports.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The recrafted L.A. public health mask policy is now in effect. You have to wear a mask indoors at places like movie theaters, or restaurants or the supermarket. But the sheriff of L.A. County is not on board. He has said that his deputies will ask for voluntary compliance. They are not going to be out enforcing this rule.

What led to this? A spike the wrong way in COVID-19 cases. More than 1,600 new cases at last count, more than 500 people hospitalized. And as for the hospitalizations, here at UCLA Medical Center, they are now treating people who had serious long-term effects, people who were in the ICU or in a ventilator. They are treating them with opera in a zoom class and teaching them how to breathe again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:15:09]

JEFF SWEAT, COVID-19 SURVIVOR: For me, singing helped me connect breathing to purpose, and it gave me a reason to -- a reason and a technique to learn how to breathe again.

NANI SINHA, OPERA SINGER: Adding mindfulness and adding something that relaxes the limbic system, breathing therapy and music and just bringing that to people who are suffering so badly right now. I mean, it's the greatest opportunity to be of service.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERCAMMEN (on camera): And doctors here at UCLA pulmonologists saying that these opera lessons, if you will, strengthen the diaphragm. They help to strengthen the lungs in turn, and thus, these people can breathe more easily and more deeply.

Reporting from Los Angeles, I'm Paul Vercammen. Back to you.

BRUNHUBER: So, as we heard Paul said the sheriff of L.A. won't enforce the mask mandate. He says the few resources he has are already stretched too thin. And if the health department approached him about the issue, he says they might have been able to work something out. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX VILLANUEVA, SHERIFF, LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: They did this on their own without ever considering what the consequences are and our ability to enforce it. They just assumed that they're going to come down the mountain with a tablet like Moses and say this is the law of the land and deal with it. It doesn't work that way. We've got to work together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): Chancellor Angela Merkel said she almost doesn't have the words to describe the damage in a German flood zone. We'll have a live report from the region coming up. Plus, more of the flooding in Belgium and how a Catholic shine is helping as the country tries to recover from the devastation. Stay with us.

[03:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): A place of horror and destruction, that's how one German official describes the scene after days of historic flooding. Hundreds are still missing and at least 189 people are confirmed dead in Belgium and Germany. Flood waters slammed into some towns with little warning carrying mud and debris. Much of the focus was on northwest Germany and the low countries over the weekend.

The southern German state of Bavaria also saw flash floods. The state's premiere said at least two people were killed there. Atika Shubert joins us from northwest Germany. Atika, it sounds as

though Angela Merkel was horrified by what she saw as she toured the disaster zone. What more can you tell us?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, you know, this is no ordinary flood. What we've seen here is devastation on a scale comparable almost to that of a tsunami, and certainly the power of the water had the speed and force of something like that. It was just a wall of water that barreled down this river. And as the waters have receded you can see some of the debris still behind me.

That's a car standing in the middle of the river there. And the search and recovery efforts are going to take some time. They're still ongoing. The death toll at the moment is 163 from Germany, but there are still hundreds more missing and so we've seen a lot of search and recovery teams out and operating.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHUBERT (voice over): These farm houses have stood for more than a century. Now all but destroyed. Extreme rainfall is what turned this river into a raging torrent, engulfing the small village of Schuld. Now farm yard backhoes operate next to armored vehicles to clear away the rubble.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been quick to blame the climate crisis for this catastrophe. On Sunday, she met with survivors, promising to release more financial aid as soon as possible.

"I have to say it is a surreal situation, shocking," she said. "I can almost say the German language doesn't have the words for this kind of devastation."

Flood warning systems are also coming under scrutiny, but no one could have predicted the scale and speed of this disaster says Schuld's mayor.

"I think that flood protection systems would not have helped," he said, because you cannot have calculated this. What happens to the Aar River with such masses of water?

Residents here are now fearful of more floods.

If it is climate change, I will never build near the water says Dana Kristen (Ph). I know that now, and I'm afraid that this could happen again, and that I will find more dead bodies."

As they struggle to save what's left of their homes, many here are worried that this could happen again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHUBERT (on camera): Now, we're on Ahrweiler which is just a little further down the river from Schuld. And you can see behind me that bridge, that excavator there trying to clear the bridge. And this is a top priority, trying to recover what critical infrastructure they can. This bridge has partially collapsed and it is not passable. There's

another bridge that's completely washed away. In fact, in this entire valley, there is only one passable bridge now that can be used and it's reserved for emergency personnel. So, the priority has been, one, restoring that infrastructure, but also two, trying to recover those missing. And that's going to be continuing for the next few days, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Only one working bridge. That's unbelievable. Atika Shubert, thanks so much.

Well, neighboring Belgium, the death toll has reached 31 and the national crisis center says 163 people are still missing. Officials say impacted areas are out of imminent danger. Now the focus is on search and clean-up operations.

So, in this moment of crisis, people in Belgium are coming together and lending each other a helping hand. Al Goodman has more from one Catholic shrine that's been turned into a shelter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL GOODMAN, JOURNALIST (voice over): Lunchtime at a Roman Catholic shrine in Belgium, the diners in need of a miracle. Forced out of their homes by the devastating floods in eastern Belgium.

[03:24:55]

The shrine of Our Lady of Banneux dates to the 1930s and attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims per year. But it's the first time since World War II that they're helping people of other faiths. The shrine opening its doors to victims of the flooding is an example of what's been happening in western Europe.

People here seem to recognize the magnitude of the disaster and are responding in kind. The rector says they provided food for 130 people since the floods began. Eighty more are expected this week from various faiths. He said the Virgin Mary would be pleased.

LEO PALM, RECTOR, SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF BANNEUX: She says, well, I've got a new kind of pilgrim to welcome. I'm not sure that they will pray a lot, but they are really welcome here in this place.

GOODMAN: This man says he's grateful for the help. His family's home, right next to the river. He was most worried about the kids.

MARC CREME, FLOOD VICTIM (through translator): The basement is two meters tall and it rose one meter in the room above that. We were above in the bedrooms. It was all around us.

GOODMAN: The damage left little doubt about the scale of the danger. The response from the shrine an article of faith. As Belgium prepares for a national day of mourning on Tuesday.

Al Goodman, CNN, Banneux, Belgium.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BRUNHUBER: All right. Much more to come on CNN Newsroom, including a

look at efforts to drive vaccination rates up in places like Alabama where inoculation numbers are low. Plus, how the pandemic is impacting one of the most important rites of passage for Muslims around the world. Stay with us.

[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): Welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world.

I'm Kim Brunhuber. You are watching CNN Newsroom.

U.S. health officials are working hard to convince more Americans to get a COVID vaccine, but vaccination rates have been slowing for weeks. In 12 states, less than 40 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, which makes the risk of catching the Delta variant especially high in these areas.

Now, Alabama is one of those states. It's tied with Mississippi at the bottom of the vaccination list. The CDC says Alabama's vaccination rate is not quite 34 percent. Community groups are pushing a pro- vaccine message, but it's still a tough sell.

Here's Natasha Chen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: Take it from me, I'm 15 years old. Go get the vaccine.

NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The effort to get COVID vaccines into arms in Alabama is an uphill battle.

CEDRIC HRABOWSKI, PASTOR, GALILEE BAPTIST CHURCH, FAIRFIELD, ALABAMA: If you have not had the vaccination, then you are part of the problem.

CHEN: Pastor Cedric Hrabowski has passed out flyers in his community. But sometimes he meets pushback from people who bring up the infamous Tuskegee experiment. But this pastor tells us it's not a good experiment, and he warns.

HRABOWSKI: You can't get your news from social media.

CHEN: But the rampant spread of misinformation on social media is the biggest hurdle according to health officials. Some are buying into false narratives including people under 30 who are the least vaccinated in Alabama. Birmingham City schools have been hosting vaccine clinics at their high schools, getting the band to play, cheer leaders to perform.

CROWD: Go, fight.

CHEN: But some members of this pep squad still need a pep talk. Half of these girls told CNN they are too scared to get vaccinated, saying they don't want the actual virus injected into them, which is not how COVID-19 vaccines work.

Instead, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use a tiny piece of the virus' genetic sequence to send a body a message to create a specialize protein which prompts our immune system to create antibodies to protect itself against the virus. And just like SnapChat, the message then disappears. Still mistrust in some African- American communities looms.

DAAGYE HENDRICKS, PRESIDENT, BIRMINGHAM BOARD OF EDUCATION: What I'm hearing is, you know, I'm just not sure, I want to wait a little longer. I want to see how it affects my family and my friends.

CHEN: Kennedi Brown and her mother both became infected with the coronavirus and experience powerful enough to motivate them to get their first vaccine shots on Saturday.

KENNEDI BROWN, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA: Most of my parents don't make them do anything, so it's really their choice. But my mom made me come get it.

CHEN: Since April 1st, 529 people have died of COVID-19 in Alabama. More than 96 percent of them were unvaccinated. Around 34 percent of people in the state are fully vaccinated and since peaking in March and April, the number of doses administered has been dropping dramatically. Now the state is seeing another surge, with more than double the new case numbers last week compared to the week before. In Mobile --

STEVE NORMAND, HEAD COACH, BAKER HIGH SCHOOL: I was counting the hopes that this was over with.

CHEN: The entire baker high school football team is quarantined.

NORMAND: I think the variants that are kind of out and about are kind of poking around.

CHEN: And the first Baptist Church in Spanish Port announced it would be postponing events and all in-person services are canceled for the rest of July. People commented on the post, asking for prayers for loved ones who have gotten COVID-19.

ANTHONY GARDENER, CEO, ALABAMA REGIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES: Just yesterday I got a call from my father about my uncle who did not get the vaccine. And guess what? He's in the hospital now.

CHEN: Anthony Gardener is the CEO of Alabama Regional Medical Services. Even he can't convince all of his family to get vaccinated, but he says he won't give up.

GARDENER: No, it's not an uphill battle. It's my mission, it's my purpose for being here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHEN: Only about a dozen people came through this vaccine clinic in a church on Sunday. An example of the challenge in convincing people across the state to get vaccinated. This church is set to start condensed in-person services in the beginning of August, but the pastor tells me he will monitor the spread of the virus in the community in the coming weeks to determine whether those plans should be modified.

Natasha Chen, CNN, Fairfield, Alabama.

BRUNHUBER: Well, the most important holidays of the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha begins on Tuesday. And for the second year in a row, Muslims around the world will mark the holiday with scaled back celebrations. Before that, thousands of Muslim pilgrims gathered in Mecca for the second Hajj of the pandemic era.

Only 60,000 Saudi residents are allowed to take part in this year's pilgrimage. They must be vaccinated against the pandemic. Now before the pandemic more than two million Muslims from around the world attend each year.

So, for a closer look, we are joined by CNN international correspondent Arwa Damon in Istanbul, Turkey. Arwa, take us through the various ways the Hajj will be different this year.

[03:34:59]

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kim, for anyone who has experienced it before, even looked at the visuals, they are going to continue to be very starkly different. Normally with that number of people, two million-plus that we saw back in 2019, and even in previous years, every single aspect of the ritual is something of a crush of humanity.

People are so closely packed together during all of this, Kim, that sometimes as the crowds are moving through the various different rituals of the Hajj, one's feet don't even touch the ground, and that is the sort of a situation that as we unfortunately know all too well now would potentially -- could potentially lead to significantly high infection rates.

And the Saudi authorities are once again for a second year in a row, clearly wanting to adhere to the side of great and grave caution. They are only allowing 60,000 people to partake in this pilgrimage this year. You know, for so many Muslims who would have wanted to go to the Hajj, this has got to be incredibly devastating.

Many people you will meet who were there have saved up their entire lives for this experience. This is a requirement of every single Muslim who is physically and financially able to carry it out. But this also comes on the heels of the widely-spreading Delta variant of COVID-19.

But the WHO recently warning that the Middle East and North Africa, predominantly Muslim part of the world, is nearing a critical point, especially when it comes to some countries that have very low vaccination rates. Tunisia last week was saying that its mortality rate had doubled. Iraq was clocking some of its highest numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Iran, which is the hardest-hit country in the region was nearing its own infection records.

And so, you know, you have the situation where, once again, we're seeing because of the spread of this Delta variant, especially at this stage coupled with low vaccination rates, people having to significantly adjust their lives. And as we're going into this religious holiday, the Eid al-Adha, the WHO is warning people against carrying out the traditional large gatherings, bringing extended family together to try to bring down the spread of infection rates, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Arwa Damon in Istanbul, thanks so much for that.

Coming up on CNN Newsroom, U.S. diplomats in Vienna are reporting disturbing health incidents that have alarming similarities to a mystery illness first seen in Cuba. We'll have the latest just ahead.

And the Afghan government and the Taliban met this weekend for peace talks. But the brutal slayings last month have spark allegations of possible war crimes. Our reporter who first broke the story joins me live next. Stay with us.

[03:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): We first saw it in Cuba five years ago. Now authorities in Austria are investigating alarming health incidents in about two dozen U.S. personnel in Vienna. Sources say some of these people had to be flown out of Yemen and are receiving medical assistance in the U.S. The issues closely resemble a phenomenon known as Havana syndrome first noted by U.S. diplomats at the embassy in Cuba in 2016. The symptoms include vertigo, headaches, nausea and a piercing noise.

The acting U.S. ambassador in Kabul is calling for an investigation into the Taliban murder of 22 surrendering Afghan commandos.

Our Anna Coren was the first to report on the executions and she joins me now live from Hong Kong. Anna, we are hearing more official reaction after these horrific killings. What's the latest on that?

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kim, we've heard from Ross Wilson, as you say, the acting ambassador in Kabul for the United States, and he has described what happened to these 22 commandos in Faryab province last month as possible war crimes that must be investigated, and the perpetrators brought to account. It is highly unlikely to happen. This is the Taliban, and we are hearing about atrocities happening to not just the military, but everyday civilians, every single day.

But certainly, he confirms that the violence has to end. He has said to the Taliban over and over again that this has to stop. That a political solution is the only way forward, and there's been a joint statement signed not just by the United States, but NATO and a host of other countries, calling on the Taliban to end the violence and bring on a cease-fire. Unfortunately, that, Kim, is not happening.

The other story that is breaking at the moment out of Afghanistan is that the country has called back the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan following the assaulting kidnap of his daughter. Najibullah Alikhil has been called back to Kabul.

He's due to fly back later this afternoon with his daughter Silsila who was in a taxi Saturday in Islamabad when a group of men jumped in the taxi. She was abducted and severely beaten. She's been in hospital, but according to her father, she is fit enough to fly. He has described this as an inhuman attack.

Pakistan has obviously regretted that this incident took place. They said it's unfortunate and regrettable. There is a high-level investigation going on as we speak, but the perpetrators are yet to be found. It's a rather mysterious situation. There are few details about this. But from what we understand, Silsila who is in her 20s is in stable condition and is being brought home to Kabul, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Anna, I want to go back to something you said moments ago about the peace talks. There had been some optimism about a ceasefire. But from what you just said, it sounds as though hope is fading.

COREN: Well, yes. I mean, you've got the U.S. ambassador, or acting U.S. ambassador and NATO and all these other countries calling for a permanent ceasefire.

[03:44:55]

But the peace talks that were taking place in Doha, Qatar over the weekend were looking perhaps for a ceasefire over the holiday Eid, which as you mentioned is this religious holiday in the Muslim calendar, which will start tomorrow and go until Thursday.

There were hopes that perhaps they would come to some agreement for a three-day ceasefire. They failed, Kim, to do just that. Both parties are saying the Afghan government and the Taliban have walked away saying that, you know, we're committed to continuing peace talks. Well these peace talks, Kim, have been going on almost a year and nothing has happened.

You know, I spoke to some friends and colleagues in Kabul today where we have just returned from, and they say they're just completely disheartened. That they're not surprised that there's been no progress made whatsoever, but they feel the Afghan government has failed them. They're not providing security. They're not providing stability. They're not coming up with any deal with the Taliban.

We know the Taliban is not interested in peace despite what they say to the international community. You know, we've been witnessing this the last couple of weeks. The advances that the Taliban have been making, you know, on the battlefield across the country, and they can smell victory. They can taste it. They know it is within reach. So, what interest do they have in striking a peace deal? As far as, you know, these local Afghans or the people who will suffer, they say it's all just a ruse. BRUNHUBER: And so, the chaos continues. All right, thanks so much,

Anna Coren, in Hong Kong. I really appreciate it.

Still to come, making history at golf's open championship. Collin Morikawa speaks with CNN about putting his name in the record books at one of England's most prestigious courses. Stay with us.

[03:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): American golfer Collin Morikawa has won the 149th Open Championship and made history. The 24-year-old won the Open in his first time playing in the prestigious tournament. He's now the first golfer to win two different majors in his first attempt. He also won last year's PGA Championship.

CNN's Alex Thomas caught up with the new number three shortly after his latest victory.

ALEX THOMAS, CNN WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: Collin Morikawa's win here at the Open was so confidence, so self-assured that it almost turned the end of the tournament into a bit of anti-climax. It was supposed to be a two-horse race, a fierce dual between him and Louis Oosthuizen, the young PGA Championship winner versus the veteran who had won this tournament way back in 2010 at the home of golf, Saint Andrews.

But in the end, Oosthuizen had a poor start and never fully got going, whereas Morikawa just smoothly moved up through the gears. Three birdies to finish his opening nine, and then another one to come home in a total round of 66. Not a single dropped shot. He only had four bogeys the whole tournament. That shows us how in control of his golf game he was.

And winning here on his debut, setting more records in the process because no one's won on debut in two majors as Morikawa now has. He's also the first since Tiger Woods to hold both the Open and PGA Championship titles before he turns 25. And his total score of 265 for the four rounds here at Royal St. George's is one off the record for Open history. And apart from Morikawa on the last lip-out. So, he could have easily got that one as well. An incredible performance that blew away a top-class field, four major champions finishing at the top of that leaderboard.

COLLIN MORIKAWA, AMERICAN GOLFER: I have a piece of advice that anyone gets, any kid, any person trying to take up the game. Embrace it. Look around. And that's what I do. I observe and try to take in as much as I can. I feel like it's unnecessary to put it out, but you can learn from a lot, not just from people like me or people that are the best in the world about this. But you know, maybe your next-door neighbor, maybe someone you play with every day.

But I enjoy it so much. This is what I love to do, and I think that's why I just embrace the moment that we're in. That it's just so much fun and hopefully, I'm glad I look calm, but there's nerves, and the nerves are channels into excitement, and using that positive kind of, you know, feeling you're able to play some good golf.

THOMAS: You singled out the fans and your family for thanks in your victory speech. Why was that?

MORIKAWA: Because I owe it to everyone. I owe it to you, I owe it to the media, my family obviously, my coaches, my trainers, my caddy, agents, sponsors. But the fans, the fans mean so much. You know, we've obviously, everyone has been going through tough times over the past year and a half, two years almost, you know, year and a half that's seen people just have the joy for the game of golf. I owe it to them.

You know, I owe them a thank you because they took time-out of their day, out of their work to come out here and enjoy golf, enjoy what we do, enjoy what they do, and hopefully we put on a show.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS: Not only is Morikawa a supremely talented golfer. He showed us he has a personality too, giving a well-received victory speech on the 18th green, making a point of thanking the fans, getting some roar one more time. A sound we've not heard in the Open Championships since 2018, because of course the 2020 version was canceled due to the COVID pandemic.

Morikawa also thanking his family, his parents, his brother, and his girlfriend. He's a polite guy, he's a popular golfer on tour and now he's also a two-time major champion. What about those other players that could have beaten him to the Claret Jug? Well, it looks like a terrific leaderboard as I said, with four major winners finishing on top of it.

Jordan Spieth perhaps the closest challenger with a round of 66, despite dropping a couple of shots early in his round. Spieth said afterwards he did the best he could. He couldn't be too disappointed. But you know that what will bug him the most will be those two dropped shots at the end of his third round on Saturday, particularly the very short par putts that he missed on the 18th, causing him to runoff, not speak to the media and immediately practice his putting.

[03:55:06]

He'll be back again. He's certainly been on the comeback trail this season. Spieth, like Morikawa, a young golfer with a bright future. Morikawa can look forward to a whole lot more, big opportunities on the biggest stage. He'll be making his Ryder Cup debut later in the year as well at Whistling Straits in September.

Alex Thomas, CNN, at the Open.

BRUNHUBER: On Tuesday, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is hoping to join the ranks of billionaire astronauts. He's scheduled to rocket to the edge of space and back with his company Blue Origin, also on board will be his brother Mark Bezos, as well as 18-year-old Oliver Daemen, and 82-year-old aviator Wally Funk. They'll be youngest and oldest people to ever travel into space. The Dutch team was added after the seats original owner took a rain check due to a scheduling conflict. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLIVER DAEMEN, BLUE ORIGIN PASSENGER: I've been dreaming about this all my life. Now I'll be the youngest astronaut ever because I'm 18 years old. I am super excited to experience zero g and see the world from above. Thank you so much for the people of Blue Origin for making this happen and making us shepherds. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER (on camera): This trip comes just nine days after Richard Branson became the first billionaire to travel to space in his own company's spacecraft. Liftoff is targeted for 9 a.m. Eastern Time.

Well, that wraps this hour of CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber. My colleague Isa Soares has another hour of CNN Newsroom after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)