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U.K. Don't Need Another Lockdown; Typhoon Rai Leaving Many People Homeless in Philippines; Germany Tightening Restrictions Against Unvaccinated; Storms with Get Worse in the Coming Years; Haiti Gang Related Kidnappings; U.K. Breaks Record With 88,000 Plus Infections In One Day; More Premier League Matches Postpone Due To Coronavirus; Bank Of England Becomes First To Make Rate Hike; A Decade Of Kim Jong-un; Migrant Making Waves In Italy. Aired 3-4a ET
Aired December 17, 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): Hello. I'm Kim Brunhuber.
Ahead on CNN Newsroom, the Omicron variant rapidly spreading around the world. Coronavirus cases surging to new heights in the U.K. and several other countries.
Plus, the aftermath of a super typhoon 24 hours after it first made landfall in the Philippines. Rai continues to batter the region.
And a happy ending to the saga of the kidnapped missionaries in Haiti. Now the question is, who paid for the release?
UNKNOWN: Live from CNN center, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.
BRUNHUBER: The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is threatening Christmas travel and holiday gatherings across Europe. health experts say it's well on its way to surpassing Delta as the dominant strain across the globe.
Cases are exploding in the U.K. But British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the country isn't locking down, and it's much better prepared than last Christmas. He is still urging people to be more cautious.
Meanwhile, Scotland is telling people to stay home as much as possible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLA STURGEON, SCOTTISH FIRST MINISTER: And we have a variant of this virus right now that is doubling every two or three days. So, we are in a situation right now, that no matter how fast we go with vaccines, this variant of the virus is at the moment running faster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER (on camera): Denmark's prime minister is warning of new restrictions to slow the spread of Omicron. The government meets with parliament today to discuss its recommendations, and Germany is working to get more vaccine doses as it steps up its booster campaign.
Now CNN is covering the pandemic with correspondents and resources around the globe. This hour we have Eleni Giokos in Athens, Greece. And we begin with Salma Abdelaziz in London.
So, Salma, simultaneously you're hearing in the U.K. with warnings of how severe Omicron will be, and yet Boris Johnson sounding bullish on how prepared they are, and they won't need lockdowns.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Kim, two days in a row now records were broken when it comes to the daily case count for COVID-19. Records that hadn't been broken during the entire course of this pandemic. Tens of thousands of people testing positive, and with those positive tests of course comes isolation, comes people canceling their Christmas plans, comes people being alone during the holiday season.
I can just tell you anecdotally, it feels like in London here right now, either you haven't -- you have COVID or you know someone with COVID. That's why the prime minister has been accused of lockdown by stealth. And it's why many businesses feel frustrated during the holiday season when people are being forced to lock in at home.
Take a look at how everything is unfolding.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): COVID cases have once again reached record levels in the U.K. With nearly 90,000 positive tests recorded on Thursday. Despite the worrying surge, Boris Johnson said Christmas is still on for now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: This is very different from last year, because what we have is the additional protection of the vaccines. And the ability to test.
ABDELAZIZ: His chief medical officer sounded more cautious during a parliamentary committee on Thursday, and urged people to limit their socializing.
CHRIS WHITTY, ENGLAND'S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER: I think people should prioritize what really matters to them, and then cut down on the things that don't.
ABDELAZIZ: More concerning for every one person infected on average, they will infect three to five others, a health expert said.
SUSAN HOPKINS, CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISER, U.K. HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY: With the doubling time of every two days, they're all reviving for Omicron is estimated to be much higher, at a very broad-brush estimates between three and five at the moment.
ABDELAZIZ: In Scotland, residents were asked to stay home as much as possible. And warned that vaccines were not enough.
STURGEON: We are in a situation right now, that no matter how fast we go with the vaccines, this variant of the virus is at the moment running faster.
ABDELAZIZ: As a precaution over the rising cases, Queen Elizabeth canceled a pre-Christmas family lunch. A Buckingham Palace source told CNN, the source said it was felt the lunch would put too many peoples Christmas arrangements at risk if it went ahead.
And across Europe, leaders are watching the U.K.'s battle with Omicron very closely. France announced tourism from Britain would be limited, and those arriving from the country would need a compelling reason for entry.
Vaccination has also been ramped up with Italy now vaccinating children between 5 and 11. And Germany, expanding its booster campaign to avoid its health care system being overwhelmed.
[03:05:03]
Across the region, governments preparing for a tidal wave of Omicron during the holiday season.
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ABDELAZIZ (on camera): Kim, there really is a race here in the U.K. between these booster jabs and the Omicron variant. And it feels like, as you heard there from that medical expert, like that Omicron variant is just faster than ever before.
The government is trying to get everyone an invitation to get their booster jab before the end of the year, but people getting sick before they even get to that appointment, Kim, and it really presents an issue to health authorities.
We don't know still how this is going to turnout in a couple of weeks. We heard that Omicron is milder but still could turn into increase hospitalizations, and that's when medical experts are worried about. They're worried about the pressure on the health system. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Yes, absolutely. Salma Abdelaziz in London. Thanks so much. Now for more headlines from across Europe, let's bring in CNN's Eleni Giokos live this hour in Athens, Greece.
So, Eleni, let's start in Germany where I understand we're just getting some fresh COVID numbers. What's the latest there?
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. Look, just hearing what Salma says about the rapid spread of Omicron. German officials are also watching very closely at these trends. And they've now said that it's just a matter of time before the Omicron variant becomes the main strain in Germany. They have identified 325 cases of Omicron, around 200 of those are
suspected and the other ones are definite cases of Omicron. And they're worried about the doubling rates, and they're also concerned about the vaccine program which has been put in jeopardy, because they don't have enough vaccines right now to get them through the first quarter of 2022.
They're spending $2.5 billion on procuring 92 million vaccine doses. Thirty percent of the country is not vaccinated, they still have to get first and second jabs into those arms. And then of course, importantly they say that the biggest tool in fighting Omicron is making sure that people get that booster shot.
They have put restrictions against the unvaccinated, people can't go to public areas apart from essential businesses if you are unvaccinated. And of course, they are very concerned about hospitalizations and ICU wards as well.
Now, in the past 24 hours, Germany has recorded almost 51,000 new COVID-19 cases. They say that it has drops slightly in terms of incidents rates, but there is still very concerned about the numbers. And they had a record daily death rate numbers that came through last week, again, raising flags here about what Omicron could mean for the next wave in Germany.
BRUNHUBER: All right, now let's look further afield there to the Nordic countries. They've been very vocal about Omicron, so how they've been dealing with new variant?
GIOKOS: You're making such a good point. The Nordic countries have been sort of at the forefront of sequencing, specifically the likes of Norway. And Norway has said that the Omicron is going to be the dominant variant by the end of the week.
Denmark putting new restrictions in place banning alcohol in part, bars and restaurants. And also, banning gatherings of more than 50 people. Now you've got to remember, and Salma also, you know, referred to this. This is the holiday season. Christmastime and New Year. This is when people gather, this is when communities spread increases, and Omicron we know is more transmissible.
You are seeing similar issues coming through in many parts of Europe. And governments are gearing up for what they say is going to be a harsh next wave. But also importantly, what that's going to mean for hospitalizations, for ICU wards.
And it's all about the unvaccinated right now, because unvaccinated people seem to be showing less severe illness with regards to Omicron. And the prognosis is, Kim, that Omicron is spreading across Europe, and governments are trying to find ways to try and bring those numbers down.
For example, in Rome, it is one of many cities in Italy that has now stopped New Year's celebrations, again in the virtue to ensure that this doesn't get out of hand. So, it seems that Christmas and New Year's plans are at risk right now across Europe. BRUNHUBER: Yes, that's right, so many celebrations in jeopardy. Eleni
Giokos in Athens, thanks so much.
U.S. President Joe Biden is sounding the alarm for the unvaccinated, warning they could face a winter of severe illness and death if they don't roll up their sleeves for a COVID vaccine. Only about one in six Americans are fully vaccinated and received a booster shot.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts hospital admission will hit record highs in the coming weeks. Biden is urging Americans to get vaccinated before it's too late. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It's here now, and it's spreading, and it's going to increase. For the unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death for the unvaccinated. For themselves, their families, and the hospitals they'll soon overwhelmed.
But, there's good news. If you're vaccinated and you have your booster shot, you are protected from severe illness and death.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:10:01]
BRUNHUBER (on camera): More than 2,000 new COVID infections were reported Thursday across the Australian state of New South Wales. Another daily record, and some of those cases may be tied to a party celebrating the music of a worldwide popstar.
Steven Jiang explains.
STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: This is the Second day in a row they have broken the record in terms of new case numbers, and the details are quite worrisome as well. On Friday, they reported one death, and 215 people hospitalized, and 24 people in intensive care.
And all of this of course is happening as they recently eased a lot of their COVID restrictions, lifting mask mandates, as well as health QR code checks in many public places. And then of course, Omicron this highly transmissible new variant struck, and this also proved to be at least in many cases, resistant to vaccines.
Because New South Wales does boast to one of the highest vaccination rates in the country. Ninety-three 93 percent of its population age 16 and above have been fully vaccinated. So, this really is now putting the local government in a bind, especially as we head into the holiday season. Whether or not to reintroduce lockdowns and other restrictions.
So far, they're trying not to take that option. But health authorities are already really issuing some very dire warnings, saying their modelling showing new case numbers could reach 25,000 per day by January. And one thing worth noting, of course a lot of those new case numbers
are being driven by a large gathering, super spreader events, high school graduation events and parties and nightclubs, including one Taylor Swift themed dance party, and as you know, one of her most famous songs is called I knew you are trouble. I think in the minds of a lot of people that seems to apply to Omicron as well.
BRUNHUBER: Researchers are reporting this year's flu vaccine might not be very effective. Experts say one of the strains of influenza has changed and this year's vaccine doesn't match it. In fact, they're calling it a major mismatch. As a result, the antibodies the vaccine produces are ineffective. Still, experts say the vaccine will likely prevent severe illness.
Search and rescue efforts are underway in the Philippines as a powerful typhoon leaves a path of destruction across the country. We'll explain how climate change could be playing a role in these extreme weather events. Coming up.
Plus, a happy ending for a group of missionaries held hostage in Haiti after two months in captivity they make it back home. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER (on camera): More than 24 hours after landfall and typhoon Rai is still battering parts of the Philippines with strong winds, torrential rains and flooding. At least two people have died in the storm. And early pictures of the damage is extensive. Houses leveled both destroyed and water chest deep in some areas.
[03:14:57]
Search and rescue operations are underway, more than 330,000 people have fled their homes for safer grounds many before the storm hit.
For more CNN's Vedika Sud joins me live in New Delhi. Vedika, the footage from some of the rescues have been quite dramatic. You've been monitoring this developing story, what's the latest?
VEDIKA SUD, CNN PRODUCER: Well, Kim, images of destruction and devastation across the eastern coastline of Philippines and the central Visayas has started coming in. You can see the damage that is being done to infrastructure and homes.
A quick word on the holiday island of Siargao which is known very popularly for its surfing, now that island was reopened about a month ago and has been hit hard and battered by super typhoon Rai. We are also being told that its airport has been severely damaged but we are waiting more word from the area because the communication lines are still down.
And power outages are being reported across the eastern coast, as well as the central areas of the Philippines. Very quickly also talking about some strong images that you mentioned coming in from Philippines. There is this infant that was rescued before the typhoon hit. A one-month infant who was actually rescued in a tub yesterday by
rescue teams. Very strong image there really of him surviving and being sheltered under an umbrella. Also, visuals coming in from southern Philippines where people are being rescued by the coast guard officials inside their homes which has been absolutely inundated with incessant rainfall.
They have been pulled out in a makeshift box along with the little belongings, personal belongings that they could manage to get together before being rescued. What we are also being told at this point is that this storm and this typhoon is only going to exit tomorrow morning, Saturday morning local time.
Yes, the strength of this hurricane, this typhoon has gone down to category three hurricane currently, but it has left devastation across the eastern and central areas of the Philippines. We are also getting to know that in the central Visayas that some people were standing on top of their roofs waiting to get some rescue coming their way.
Also, we've heard from the CEO of Red Cross in Philippines, he said that trucks going in to the severely affected areas taking food in for those affected and trying to pull out as many as they can as part of their evacuation process.
Over 332,000 people have currently being evacuated from low-lying areas. But you know, Kim, it's going to take such a while before these people can go back to their homes which have been severely damaged.
Also remember that Philippines is one of the worst-hit areas when it comes -- and the worse affected areas when it comes to climate change because of the warm ocean waters that makes typhoons recur in the area and they only intensify and become stronger.
This year itself Philippines has seen 15 typhoons and typhoons Rai, super typhoon Rai has been the worst that they've seen in the month of December since the year 2012. Kim?
BRUNHUBER: Yes, you are right to bring up the effects of climate change. And I'll be discussing that with a guest in just a few minutes. Vedika Sud, thank you so much.
I want to go now to meteorologist Derek van Dam who's tracking the system and he joins me from the CNN weather center.
Derek, so it may be moving off but people definitely not out of danger.
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No, definitely not. And some of these first images that we are seeing, Kim, are showing signs of desperation too within the individuals having to deal and contend with this just atrocious tropical disaster that has occurred across the Philippines.
And when we see winds of 260 kilometers per hour impacting a large population density, you know that the devastation is going to be substantial and that is according to some of the images that we are seeing. The first images coming out of the region, the system of the coastal areas that were either impacted by wind or storm surges associated with super typhoon Rai.
Now the latest from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center still a category three, the storm is actually impacting the far western portions of the Philippines in the Palawan province even in the outer fringes of Visayas being impacted by the outer fringes of the storm.
That's why PAGASA which is the Philippines meteorological organization has still a signal three public storm warning in effect for those locations. And that means that these particular areas are going to be receiving winds of 120 kilometers or more with a potential for storm surge and extremely heavy rain.
In fact, our forecast wind gusts actually shows just that 80- kilometer-per-hour winds within the capital, Puerto Princesa, that is going to exceed 115 kilometers per hour here within the next three hours, so we have the potential for some devastating winds across that particular location.
The rainfall still to come over 200 millimeters in some locations especially across the Palawan province, that's again, over western sections of the Philippines.
[03:19:58]
And where does it go from here? Well, the official forecast track from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center has it reemerging across the South China Sea. Very warm ocean water temperatures across this area, allowing for some re-intensification to occur.
Some of our computer models keeping the system off the shores of Vietnam and Southern China, some of them bring it onshore. Time will tell we need to iron out some details. But one thing is for sure regardless of where the center of the storm goes, we will still feel a impacts with rain and strong winds for Vietnam this weekend. Kim? The storm is not --
(CROSSTALK)
BRUNHUBER: All right. We'll keep monitoring that story throughout the weekend. Derek van Dam, thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Now last hour, I spoke to Karen Janes Ungar from Catholic Relief Services in the Philippines, and I asked her what role climate change plays in powerful storms like this. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREN JANES UNGAR, REPRESENTATIVE, CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES PHILIPPINES: Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world but we are seeing that the effects of climate change are making the storm surge and the typhoon season stronger and more dramatic. It's affecting the sea levels, the storm surges, and it's going to continue to affect islands throughout the Pacific including the Philippines. And we are starting to look towards climate resiliency and adaptation
and working with the big cities in the Philippines here on preparing for climate change and adaptation so that we can both minimize the effects of climate change, but also be prepared for things that we can't stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER (on camera): All right, let's head now to Anchorage, Alaska. And Professor Richard Steiner, he is a marine conservation biologist with the environmental consulting group Oasis Earth.
Thank you so much for joining us.
So, you just heard the clip there from the aid worker who said she fears climate change, means the Philippines will see more of these typhoons. And the research seems to bear that out.
Just to quote one study by researchers at Princeton University. It suggests that the intensity of category three to five cyclones has grown by about 5 percent per decade since 1979. And then another study found that they last longer and reach further inland.
So why is that? What's the relation between warming water and wind speed?
RICHARD STEINER, MARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGIST, OASIS EARTH: Well, this is, first of all, my thoughts and hopes and well wishes go out to all of our friends in the Philippines --
BRUNHUBER: Yes.
STEINER: -- for the storm they are weathering here today. And the link is pretty direct. The climate science has predicted this intensification of storm systems and intense severe weather-related disasters for many years.
You have warmer oceans, the amount of heat that we have put into the atmosphere and the oceans over the last several decades has been absolutely unimaginable. Some studies have suggested it's equivalent to four or five Hiroshima style nuclear bombs every second over the last several decades.
So, billions of times the heat generated from a nuclear blast like this it's unimaginable. That all has gotten into the atmosphere, into the oceans, warmer oceans and warmer atmosphere means more evaporation. A lot more water into the air and it comes out in various different locations that sometimes they are difficult to predict.
But the other thing is the intensification of the heat causes these large -- large rivers of air to move faster, the atmosphere is trying to equilibrate, to equalize density of cold air and warm air all the time.
The jet stream increases in intensity and these low-pressure systems like the typhoon Rai and hurricane Ida and also the tornadoes, on a micro scale that hit the central part of the U.S. recently are all examples of the atmosphere trying to equalize pressure from intense heating.
BRUNHUBER: And then with sea level rise, I mean, that's causing even more problems in terms of flooding. I mean, there was some new reporting out this week about the Antarctic ice shelf possibly collapsing in the next five years.
So, what effect would that have in terms of compounding the danger of flooding that we are seeing already from the extreme weather?
STEINER: Well, there is hundreds of billions of tons of freshwater now flowing into the Southern Ocean, from the Arctic ice cap, as well as several hundred billion tons of freshwater flowing into the North Atlantic from melting Greenland ice cap, that is rising sea levels plus, the warmer oceans caused what we called thermal expansion it just, because it gets warmer, the actual ocean surface elevates.
So, you've got all these impacts, and then you have storm surges caused by these intense typhoons and low-pressure systems. I mean, it's a, you know, sort of, it's a match made in heck. It's a horrible situation particularly for these low-lying areas with very poor populations that have the, have difficult ability, if any, to escape the sort of thing.
[03:25:01]
BRUNHUBER: Yes.
STEINER: So, climate science has predicted this for years, it's here, but the interesting and the scary thing actually is that it's here and more intensely and more severely sooner than what climate science has been predicted -- predicting.
BRUNHUBER: Yes.
STEINER: And so, here we are, I don't think that people in the world have really quite absorbed and recognized and admitted the scale of disaster that we are living in right now.
BRUNHUBER: Yes.
STEINER: We need to wake up and then admit.
BRUNHUBER: Absolutely. Well, the other scary thing is that even if we were to cut all emissions right now, we'd still see the effects of warning for some time. So, you say people need to sort of wake up and realize this. What more needs to be done to sort of prepare and to mitigate some of the damage here?
STEINER: That's the hard part. There is only so much adaptation we can do. Hundreds of millions of people, particularly in South Asia and Southeast Asia live in very low-lying areas where coastal protections have been eroded from development and cutting mangroves and destroyed coastal ecosystems over the last several decades. And now with the sea level rise and more intense storm systems, these places are going to have a hard time adapting. But we do, we can try, we have to. We need to provide some financial aid to these countries that have not been necessarily part of the problem, part of the cause of climate change, but they are the unequal recipients of the damage.
So, we in the G20, the group of 20, the wealthy nations on earth which are 80 percent of the cause of global climate change need to pony up some money and put it into these other 175 nations, developing countries that really need our assistance and adaptation.
On the other hand, we in the G20, that's you know, the U.S., the E.U., U.K., Germany, France, Japan, Russia, China, India, Brazil, the 20's -- 20 wealthiest nations in the world which caused 80 percent of the global emissions, we need to get real and get the G20 to me immediately since the Glasgow summit failed last month to reach any substantive accomplishment on this.
The G20 is it's the cause and the solution. We are the cause and we can be the solution. We have to be. And meet in an emergency session, require that every G20 government institute a legally binding reduction in 50 -- by 50 percent on our emissions immediately by 2030, a carbon tax, financial aid to the other nations that need it such as the Philippines right now, and we need to get serious about this and -- and much of --
(CROSSTALK)
BRUNHUBER: There is a long -- there is a long list of things that we definitely need to do, but unfortunately, we'll have to leave it there. But as always, the service is hopefully a call to action because as you say, action is desperately, desperately needed and sooner than later.
Richard Steiner, I really appreciate having you on, thank you so much.
STEINER: Thanks very much.
BRUNHUBER: Twelve members of a U.S.-based missionary group are back home after surviving a kidnapping ordeal in Haiti. A local security source say they flew back to the U.S. Thursday following their released by a notorious gang. The U.S. officials says a random was paid but not by the U.S. government.
Now Haitian source says the amount was far lower than the $1 million per hostage the gang initially demanded. That sources also ways the former hostages appeared to have lost weights during two months in captivity.
Matt Rivers has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A moment two months in the making with the news that all 17 missionaries, including 16 Americans and one Canadian kidnapped by armed gang members in Haiti are now free.
It started back on October 16th as the group was returning to their home base from visiting an orphanage east of Port-au-Prince.
Among the missionaries representing Christian Aid Missionaries, five children, including an infant a three-year-old, a six-year-old, and two teenagers. The bus they were in got stopped by armed men as they drove through the suburb of Croix-des-Bouquets.
RIVERS (on camera): Several miles down that road there is where our source in the Haitian Security Forces says this kidnapping was carried out. In a more normal situation, we would drive several miles down that road and go see exactly where this took place. But following the advice of both our Haitian producer and our security team, we're not going to go any further than this because they say it's not safe.
Down that road is the suburb of Croix-des-Bouquets, which is essentially completely controlled by the 400 Mawozo gang. The gang that authorities say carried out this kidnapping.
As the group was being kidnapped, this WhatsApp message obtained by CNN was reportedly sent by one of the missionaries.
Please, pray for us, we are being harassed, kidnapped currently. They have control of our vehicle with about 15 Americans right now, ladies, men, and children.
[03:30:00]
A few days later, the gang that took them seen here in an older video said they would kill the missionaries if they didn't get paid the ransom. As Christian aid ministries quietly opened negotiations with the gang, we got some insight into what conditions might be like for those kidnapped. We spoke to a French priest who had been kidnapped by that same gang in Haiti earlier this year who told us about one of the places the gang held him.
He says it was like a dark hole, like a prison cell the last place we were in with no windows. At the beginning they were giving us food once a day but by the end they stopped feeding us. They forced us to go hungry, he said, believing it was a negotiation tactic.
But the first sign of hope, two missionaries both adults freed by the gang on November 21st. Then came three more freed exactly two weeks later and the remaining 12 would soon follow.
Meanwhile, Haiti's kidnapping crisis goes on unabated. An overmatched federal government is unable to quell the gangs behind the crimes. With total kidnappings this year nearing 1,000 according to a Port-au- Prince and geo-tracking that data. Nearly 100 in November alone.
The vast majority of victims are Haitians not foreigners. Thankfully the ordeal for 17 foreign missionaries is over. But for many Haitians the nightmare continues.
Matt Rivers, CNN, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (END VIDEOTAPE)
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Fans will miss out on more football this weekend because of a COVID surge in the U.K. Coming up next the English Premier League postponed several matches following outbreaks among some teams. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRUNHUBER: The omicron variant is spreading fast across the U.K. Officials reported nearly 1,700 new cases of the variant on Thursday that number is believed to be doubling every two days. Those comes as health experts there pleading with the British public to get vaccinated and get boosted. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said there will be no national lockdown and unlike last year, no plans to cancel Christmas.
Dr. Richard Dawood is the medical director of the Fleet Street Clinic, and he joins me now from London. Thank you so much for being here with us Doctor. So you're clinic, you're doing COVID testing, tell us what are you seeing?
RICHARD DAWOOD, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, FLEET STREET CLINIC (on camera): Well, over the past days we've definitely seen a big rise in the number of positive cases. So, whereas a couple of weeks ago we might see one or two positive cases. We're seen perhaps 13, 14, 15 a day of the past three days.
[03:35:12]
What's interesting about these is that often these people who are not symptomatic at all but they're taking tests either in order to travel as a pre-travel requirement or on their return home in order to comply with the testing of returned travelers.
So, we're seeing very few people who are actually symptomatic but many people are now testing positive. And this is really the worry that people have as they begin to think about traveling over the holiday season that they might actually test positive and not be able to go.
BRUNHUBER: Yeah, I guess at your level, where you're testing you wouldn't have any sense of whether that -- whether the delta variant or the omicron variant is responsible, right?
DAWOOD: Well, so we have actually -- we are required to carry out sequencing on return travelers. There is a big lag between somebody returning a positive test we're actually getting the sequencing results.
The first two people that we have had results back for have been on the omicron. There's also a lot of the data that's reported as being omicron is not necessarily confirmed, it's highly suspected. But it does take a long time to get the sequencing data and this is something that's changing very quickly.
BRUNHUBER: Now with all the rise in cases, the NHS statistics suggested, you know, predictably putting huge pressure on the health system. Hospitals in England are already 94 percent full. Some four out of five critical care beds are occupied. What effects are you seeing?
DAWOOD: So, what's interesting is that the omicron variant doesn't seem to cause severe disease. It's early days yet, we're not able, you know, we are not far enough in to this up taken the number of cases. But it does seem that the omicron variant targets the nasal passages, the upper respiratory tract rather than the lungs as the other variants have done. So far there's only been one recorded case in an omicron patient. And you know, with evidence that that person was unvaccinated.
So the big concern for the health service here is not so much about the severity of cases about the fact that increasing numbers of doctors and nurses and hospital staff are testing positive are being been removed from the workforce.
So we've got big pressure on the health service anyway, higher pressure at this time of year, a massive vaccine rollout that is prioritizing staff over other activities. We are having surgery planned hospital procedures about 100,000 of them reported to have been canceled over the Christmas period. So yes the health services under very high pressure at the moment.
BRUNHUBER: You mentioned the travel testing that you do. France is just banned non-essential travel to and from the U.K. because of the rise of the omicron variant. Where you are, I mean, your expertise is in travel medicine, so I'm wondering, you know, what role you think travel and travel bans have to play here. Do they work?
DAWOOD: So there's a big sense that the latest move for France is -- forgive me politically motivated. There are a lot of other issues between the U.K. and France at the moment and this is seen as a particularly cruel blow since France is very popular at Christmas destination, especially for skiing.
We've had a huge increase in the number of people who've tried to bring for their troops to France in order to beat the deadline which is on Saturday. But there's actually very little evidence although it might seem intuitive that stopping travel slows the spread of infection. It's actually very little evidence that past travel bans have succeeded into doing very much to restrict the spread of viruses.
Unfortunately, these things do move around in a way that we just can't control. And unfortunately the politically appealing, there's very little evidence in public health terms and this is why the World Health Organization is consistently opposed travel bans as a way of controlling the spread of disease.
BRUNHUBER: Well, listen, we'll have to leave it there but I really appreciate your expertise and your perspective on this Dr. Richard Dawood, thanks so much for joining us.
DAWOOD: With a pleasure. BRUNHUBER: The record COVID surge is also taking a toll on the
English Premier Football League. Five matches scheduled for this week have been postponed due to outbreaks among the teams. As Don Riddell reports, one team manager says the decision doesn't go far enough.
[03:40:10]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The Premier League is fast approaching, what is traditionally the busiest time of the season. The festive period is renowned for a slew of games and nonstop excitement over Christmas, in the New Year. But things could be different this time.
Premier League clubs have been reporting an increase in positive cases of COVID-19 among their players and staff. And an increasing number of games have been suspended. Some are now even calling for a total suspension of the league until all of the players are healthy again.
THOMAS FRANK, BRENTFORD MANAGER: The COVID cases are going through the roof and all the Premier League clubs, everyone is dealing with it, everyone have a problem at this moment in time. And to postpone this round and also the (inaudible) round would give everyone a week, at least, to or these -- I don't know exact -- the number four or five days to clean and do everything on the training ground so everything is fine. So you break the chain in every club.
RIDDELL: Although a couple of games were played on Thursday night, Liverpool and Chelsea, both lined up without key players who had been sidelined by the virus. Tottenham's game and Leicester didn't happen at all. Looking forward half of the weekend's fixtures have now been postponed as the U.K. continues to grapple with the new variant of the disease.
And of the games that are still scheduled to be played, there are reports of positive cases in many of those clubs. So, it really wouldn't be a surprise if Thursday's action is the last that we've seen in the Premier League for some time. Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: As inflation takes hold in many economies around the world, global financial markets have been waiting for months to see which central bank would be the first to raise interest rates. On Thursday, the Bank of England hike the baselining rate to .25 percent. Officials admit its weak and it won't be enough to slow the U.K.'s 5 percent inflation, the highest it's been in a decade.
A day earlier the U.S. Federal Reserve looks -- said it would raise interest rates next year to help cool down inflation. The European Central Bank has chosen not to raise interest rates for now and says it plans to scale back its stimulus programs beginning in March. Initially enacted to offset the economic fallout of the pandemic.
The same stimulus programs are now helping to fuel skyrocketing prices. Complicating everyone's math is the uncertainty over the omicron variant which many fear has the potential to derail the fragile global recovery.
The tragic accident at a school in Australia celebrating the end of the year, five children are being remembered. We'll have details after the break.
And 10 years ago, Kim Jong-un took the reins in North Korea after the death of his father and quickly launch purges against some of the top people in government, including members of his own family. So, what's changed since then? We'll have a look at a decade of Kim Jong-un next. Stay with us.
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[03:45:00]
BRUNHUBER: small community in Australia is in mourning for five children killed in an inflatable structure was lifted by wind.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER GUTWEIN, TASMANIAN PREMIER: The tragedy which occurred yesterday is beyond comprehension. It's devastating, heartbreaking, it's just simply incomprehensible. What should have been a celebration for the end of the school year turned into an unfortunate tragedy, very young children at (inaudible) Primary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Four other children were hospitalized with serious injuries. Officials say wind gust lifted the bouncy castle at a school event. Authorities say the kids fell from a height of around 10 meters. An investigation is underway and police have asked people to avoid the area.
More than two dozen people are feared dead after a fire broke out of an office building in Osaka, Japan, and the cause is unknown. But investigators say they are looking into the possibility of arson. The eight story building is located near Osaka's main train station and the blaze appears to have been on the fourth floor. Officials say 27 people are believed to have died with one person injured.
Ten years ago today, a dictator died and another rose to power. North Korea, they gathered Thursday to honor their dear leader, Kim Jong-Ill who ruled with an iron fist for 17 years. When he died, he handed the family business to his son Kim Jong-un. Since then North Korea's launched more rockets than ever before. And Kim himself has made history, meeting with the leaders of China and the U.S. But despite the many changes, much is still the same for the people of North Korea.
Paula Hancocks look back at the decade of Kim Jong-un.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): October 2010, Kim
Jong-un, was introduced to the world as North Korea's (inaudible), a warning to expect another domestic succession of the Kim family. The following year in December, Kim Jong-Ill died and his son took control.
UNKNOWN: I was in State Department when we heard Kim Jong-un has died, his father had died and we felt goodness is this it? Essentially what 25-year-old is taking over, a 26-year-old taking over. And you saw him kind of looking bewildered as he walked by (inaudible).
HANCOCKS: Speculation of instability for opening up by a leader (inaudible) educated in the West soon die down once purges began as Kim consolidated power.
UNKNOWN: We saw him, you know, essentially having his uncle who was almost like a regent being executed. Some are rarely executed. And then of course a few years later his older half-brother being killed, assassinated in an airport in Kuala Lumpur.
HANCOCKS: Kim Jong-un (inaudible) more nuclear missile test than his father and grandfather combined over the past 10 years. Intense development and launches making North Korea far more than just a regional threat.
ANKIT PANDA, SR. FELLOW CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE: Many of the developments that we saw North Korea complete during Kim Jong-un's tenure so far were initiated by his father and his grandfather. So there is a story here that involves all three Kims, but certainly Kim Jong-un will be remembered in North Korea for crossing the most important threshold which includes bringing the United States into range with ICBMs.
HANCOCKS: Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, a new version paraded just last year -- in January of this year, at the Eight Party Congress, Kim Jong-un announced his weapons agenda, hypersonic missiles, submarine launch ballistic missiles, among them testing this year reported to be from that very wish list.
PANDA: If I were North Korea, I would focus on doing one thing or two things or three things and doing those well. But what we see in North Korea is really more than 10, around 15 potential nuclear delivery systems under development. It is really remarkable.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Little rocket man.
HANCOCKS: Tense exchanges between Kim and then U.S. President Donald Trump brought the peninsula closer to military confrontation than it had been in years. Both sides blink and more than a year of unprecedented diplomacy (inaudible), Kim achieving what his predecessors could not, meeting a sitting U.S. President.
UNKNOWN: He appeared quite confident talking with Trump one-on-one as a leader to leader and also you saw him doing things that you don't normally expect a communist dictator to do, which is, he was walking around the arena area, kind of waving at people and taking selfies.
HANCOCKS: Three meetings with former President Trump, five with China's Leader, Xi Jinping and three with South Korean President, Moon Jae-in. Kim Jong-un is well established on the international stage.
[03:50:07]
DUYEON KIM, VISITING SENIOR FELLOW, KOREAN PENINSULA FUTURE FORUM: I think he's really tried hard and pretty much has succeeded in trying to be perceived as this normal leader of a normal country and really putting his stamp, his mark on old policies.
HANCOCKS: His pledge to revive the economy however remains elusive. International sanctions and closed borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic have crippled the country, already considered one of the worlds poorest. The U.N. said this year around 40 percent of the nation suffered food insecurity before the pandemic and that has only increased. Adverse weather and bad harvests pushed Kim Jong-un to admit this year, quote, the peoples food situation is (inaudible) intense.
CHEONG SEONG-CHANG, SENIOR FELLOW, SEJONG INSTITUTE (through translator): The biggest difficulty in North Korea is facing now is that even North Korea doesn't know how long its isolated situation will last.
HANCOCKS: Kim Jong-un's health has kept expert and intelligence agencies guessing. South Korea's National Intelligence Service told lawmakers, Kim has lost some 20 kilos, 44 pounds, but appears healthy. Photos over the span of recent months show a significant change. Assumed health scares earlier in the rein sparked fevered speculations of who might succeed him that has now calm down.
UNKNOWN: I see beyond 10 years 20, 30, 40 years and assuming his health holds up.
HANCOCKS: Ten years into his rules, Seoul's spy agency says, it believes Kim is beginning his own brand of self (inaudible), removing photos of his predecessors from a key meeting and starting a new concept called Kim Jong-un-ism.
KIM: Our people first, our nation first, self-reliance, are really trying to differentiate himself from his father and grandfather's.
HANCOCKS: A metaphorical coming of age. He's predecessors introduced their own (inaudible) at a certain point. A sign Kim Jong-un is just starting to stump his style on the country he inherited.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: A refugee in Italy is making his voice heard. After the break, we will meet the migrant who is encouraging others to get involved in their adoptive countries. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRUNHUBER: The scores of refugees who fled across the Mediterranean not only face dangerous sea, they have difficulty adjusting and being accepted in their new countries. One migrants in Italy is trying to bridge the gap between his fellow travelers and Italians.
As CNN's Ben Wedeman reports, he is using this new role in local government to help.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Today, Abdullahi Ahmed, walks the corridors of power. Local power. As an elected member of the Turin City Council. His 33-year-old native city has come a long way since 2008 when he stepped ashore in Italy after a perilous seven month journey across desert and sea.
I arrived here when I was 19 years old he says. Without a family I didn't know Italian, I didn't know anyone here.
Under the gaze of the ones high and mighty in the Salerosa (ph) of Turin City Council, Abdullahi insists migrants shouldn't shy away from public life.
[03:55:00]
I've always believed you cannot be a foreigner forever, he tells me. You have to become a well-informed active citizen working for the future of your city and society.
Abdullahi wasted no time, he became fluent in Italian, founded a NGO to help raise awareness about the challenges facing migrants. Wrote an award winning book about his experience. Helped his siblings complete their higher education back in Somalia and ran for local office.
Not bad for one stranger in a strange land. In recent decades Italy's migrant population has grown dramatically. Changing along the way what it means to be Italian.
Something the Pakistan Foreign Community activist Abnel (Inaudible) and friend of Abdullahi knows only too well.
UNKNOWN: One Italian should be like black or one Italian should be like round, one Italian should be white why not?
WEDEMAN: Tunisian born baker (Inaudible), voted for Abdullahi in the last local election.
Now we are going to give you something to do, he tells Abdullahi.
Thirty-two years in Italy, Hamai (ph) sees the presence of a migrants in local government as a step forward. Now maybe our voices will be heard, Hamai's tells me. In the past we were not heard at all.
Finally new Italians are starting to raise their voices and are being heard. Ben Wedeman, CNN, Turin, Northern Italy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: That is a great story. Well, that wraps this hour of "CNN Newsroom." I'm Kim Brunhuber, Isa Soares picks up our coverage at the top of the hour.
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