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New York City Tops Single-Day Case Record For Second Consecutive Day; U.S. Prepares For Omicron-Fueled Winter Surge; Germany Restricting Entry From U.K.; NATO Unlikely To Send Troops If Ukraine Invaded; Death Toll From Typhoon Rai At Least 75; Michigan Hospital Overloaded Ahead Of Holidays; White House Clarifies Veep's Comments On Mutations; Fuel Truck Blast Highlights Severe Gasoline Shortage In Haiti; U.N. Warns Of "Avalanche" Of Hunger In Afghanistan; Texas Teen Creates App To Give Sister A Voice. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired December 19, 2021 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[04:00:00]

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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

Ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, the U.S. on alert, with COVID cases surging ahead of a busy holiday week. Americans are in encouraged to prepare for tough times ahead.

The story is the same in Europe, as protests erupt in reaction to tighter restrictions. We'll have the latest in live reports from London and Rome.

And with Afghans facing their first winter back under Taliban control, a humanitarian crisis looms. We'll hear the stark warning from one aid group.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Center, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: We begin with the growing threat of the Omicron variant. Cases are rising quickly around the globe less than a month after it was first detected.

In the U.S., experts are warning that Americans could be facing a dark winter as Omicron collides with the surge of the Delta variant. The country is now averaging more than 125,000 new cases a day. Cases are rising especially fast in the North, Midwest and South but experts say that's mostly being fed by the Delta variant, not Omicron.

It's expected to become the dominant strain in the coming weeks but CDC numbers show right now that Omicron accounts for just around 3 percent of new cases. U.S. hospitals are already feeling the impact. Around 69,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with the virus. And experts say Omicron is only likely to make things worse, putting more strain on an already overwhelmed health care system.

Now despite all of that, Americans aren't putting the holidays on hold. More than 109 million people are expected to travel this year, close to pre-pandemic levels.

New York just broke a troubling COVID-19 record for the second consecutive day. The state is reporting more new cases than it did at the start of the pandemic. CNN's Polo Sandoval explains.

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: New York state reported its highest COVID-19 case count so far. Earlier this week, about 21,000 cases. In New York City, the health commissioner saying they've seen a tripling of new COVID-19 cases just in the last month alone.

They're calling on people to take steps to protect not only themselves but others, because they've noticed two key indicators, the seven-day average that topped about 120,000 cases across the country and also the total number of COVID-19 hospitalizations across the country, exceeding 68,000.

That's really why authorities are hoping that people take those steps like getting vaccinated, boosted and tested to lighten the load on so many health care workers. They have been at it already for quite some time.

When it comes to getting tested, we've seen a high interest of people, long lines at facilities throughout the city. In fact early Saturday morning, outside this urgent care clinic, people hoping to get an appointment to come in and get tested to make sure it's safe to gather with loved ones for Christmas.

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RAISSA DORFF, NEW YORK CITY RESIDENT: Because I've been potentially exposed, I've had friends -- or I had a niece that was going to come up here to visit. And we canceled that.

I had friends that were like, oh, let's have a little gathering. And I already got texts saying, maybe next year.

BRIAN MOSLEY, NEW YORK CITY RESIDENT: I'm not too worried because I got the booster shot. I'm just about to travel, so it's a requirement to get the test.

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SANDOVAL: There are also the disruptions. Here in New York City alone, with Broadway already canceling several of their performances, those were sporadic cancellations that were announced after several of the cast and crew experienced those breakthrough cases.

And then, of course, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular that is obviously extremely popular, they canceled the rest of their performances for the rest of the season.

You hear from many New Yorkers there's a sense of deja vu with these kinds of closures and cancellations, only this time people counting on the additional protection of the vaccines -- Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.

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BRUNHUBER: For some insight on what we know about the Omicron variant, we're going to take you now to the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Now this hospital has been on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic from the very beginning. It's where U.S. federal officials sent 13 infected passengers aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

Clinicians there were among the first in the nation to develop their own in-house coronavirus test.

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BRUNHUBER: And joining me now is infectious disease specialist, Dr. James Lawler. He's the co-executive director of the Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Doctor, thank you so much for joining us here.

[04:05:00]

BRUNHUBER: So as I just mentioned, your hospital is widely considered one of the best-prepared hospitals to deal with COVID in terms of pandemic-specific training and infectious disease equipment.

So looking at what's happening in the U.K. now, record cases, the hospital system again under strain, how prepared are you for a possible huge surge due to the Omicron variant?

DR. JAMES LAWLER, CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GLOBAL CENTER FOR HEALTH SECURITY, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER: Well, we're already experiencing a large surge with Delta variant across Nebraska and much of the Midwest of the U.S.

So we're not in a very good position to get additional patients either from Omicron or from seasonal influenza, which we expect will be kicking up here very soon. We're already starting to see the first trends of flu season.

So we're in a difficult position in our hospital to be able to absorb more patients. And I know that we're looking at potentially a large surge of patients with Omicron.

BRUNHUBER: In the U.K., what we've seen is the strain on the hospital system. It's not just because of the COVID patients going to the hospital but because doctors, nurses, staff, they're getting sick themselves.

So how big a problem do you expect that to be, when many hospitals are already short-staffed and running on fumes?

LAWLER: That's been a big problem for us as well. We've had more hospital staff absent in the last week than we've had at any time, other than our previous peak last year.

So we're very concerned about the well-being of our staff and also just their ability to be able to show up every day, when either they or their family members can become cases themselves.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, it's totally understandable, given how long this pandemic has just gone on and on. But widening this out beyond your hospital, you've said that the U.S. has just weeks to take action to stem a wave of Omicron infection.

But what can be done?

What action specifically are you calling for?

LAWLER: Well, I think there are a number of things that can be done and need to be done. First of all, obviously pulling out all stops on vaccinations, especially trying to get folks who have not yet been vaccinated to at least get a primary series.

Getting boosters into folks who have not yet been boosted. But we need to do more to step up non-pharmaceutical interventions, those things we had and we effectively used before we had access to vaccines.

That's things like wearing face masks indoors. In the U.S., certainly mandatory face mask ordinances and a number of state and local areas had a significant impact. Also limiting large indoor gatherings and attempting to contain and control spread in congregate environments, such as schools.

Fortunately, schools are now getting out for the holiday break. But certainly we need to plan for what's going to happen in January, when schools go back in session.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Many of those decisions are made at the -- you know, at the local or state level.

But I want to look, you know, nationally here. The White House press secretary tweeted that we are prepared for the rising case levels and POTUS will detail how we will respond to this challenge. So President Biden will be giving an Omicron-focused speech this Tuesday.

What are you hoping to hear from him?

And what concrete steps are you hoping he will take at a national level?

LAWLER: Right. Well, I don't share that optimism that we're prepared. But I think there are some steps that we can take.

And again, first of all, doing everything we can to increase vaccination, ramping up non-pharmaceutical interventions, including using all of the levers that we have, to create mandatory wearing of face masks indoors, reducing large gatherings.

One thing that the federal government can do is to provide significant support for testing, to be able to get testing resources where we need them. That's going to be hard to do in a matter of weeks. Some of it will take longer.

But the old saying, when's the best time to plant a tree?

Twenty years ago. But the second best time is today. And the second best time to get testing improved is starting today. And I think there are a number of things that can be done with financial incentives to help businesses and other parts of our community that would be impacted by ramping up non-pharmaceutical interventions.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Well, listen, we'll see what happens next week. But so far, you know, we wish you all the best, you and your staff, in dealing with already the number of cases you're dealing with, much less the influx you may be seeing in the coming weeks and months. Dr. James Lawler, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it.

LAWLER: Thanks for having me.

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[04:10:00]

BRUNHUBER: As both the Omicron and Delta variants cause cases to rise across Europe, we have reporters covering all the angles. Barbie Nadeau is in Rome for us. But first let's go to Scott McLean in London.

So, Scott, the London mayor declared a major incident. Explain what that means and why he's doing it.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kim. First off, we've got a little bit of news this morning from the U.K. health secretary, who says that the Omicron variant, as expected, is officially the dominant strain in this part of the U.K.

We already learned this week that it had been dominant in Scotland. Now it's dominant in England as well, making up about 60 percent of the cases. We know that Brits are already locked out of France, effectively. As of later tonight, they'll also be locked out of Germany.

The prime minister, meeting with his top cabinet advisers, top civil servants, to try to figure out what to do next. The official word from Downing Street is that they're discussing lockdown measures.

Beyond that, we don't have more information. The health secretary saying this morning that, if there were to be any kind of further measures taken beyond what's in place right now, that Parliament would be recalled.

There's plenty of suggestion in this country that the current measures, the indoor mask mandate and the COVID passports for very large events and for night clubs, probably won't be enough to curb the spread of Omicron.

It seems like the prime minister is taking this wait-and-see approach, because, right now, at least nationally, there hasn't been any significant change in the number of people hospitalized or on ventilators.

But in places where the Omicron is most present, like London, they are seeing that start to spike, up 30 percent just in the last week. The number of hospitalizations, that's, according to the London mayor and as you said, Kim, he's just declared this major incident.

This is the kind of thing that normally would be reserved for the aftermath of disasters or terror attacks. Essentially, first responders or emergency services are able to draw resources from wherever they can and make special arrangements to make sure that they're fully staffed.

One of the things that the mayor is saying is that there have been so many infections amongst health care workers, that there's starting to be a lot of absences piling up, which is obviously causing a lot of big problems, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, and, you know, we've seen some pretty stark warnings from government scientists about the likely case numbers they'll see in the coming weeks, if more restrictions aren't put in place now.

But how hard will that be for Boris Johnson, given he's facing more and more political backlash from within his own party about the measures that he's already putting in place?

MCLEAN: Yes, you're absolutely right. Look, when it comes to those predictions, one of the most dire predictions came just this week. And it found that, under the worst-case scenario with Omicron, that about half of the English population, more than half of the English population, could be infected with that variant over the winter months.

Obviously, that would cause huge problems, even if the variant is sort of a less severe strain, because, of course, even a smaller percentage of hospitalizations of a very, very large number is going to cause big problems.

You mentioned Boris Johnson's political issues right now. If he were to try to go down the road of bringing in further restrictions, the kind of thing we saw earlier on in the pandemic, you're right. He would likely run into big, big problems.

That's because even trying to pass the restrictions that are in place right now, the COVID passports, he faced a backlash from about 100 of his own MPs, who voted against it. He only got that passed with the support of the opposition Labour Party.

And just yesterday, Kim, he also accepted the resignation letter from one of his top cabinet ministers, the Brexit secretary, who resigned over concerns about the direction that this country was headed on COVID. In his resignation letter, he urged the prime minister not to adopt

the kind of coercive measures, as he wrote, that we're starting to see elsewhere in Europe.

BRUNHUBER: It would be a shame for politics to inform action on this score but, anyway, we'll wait and see what happens. Scott McLean in London, thank you so much.

Now for more on how the rest of Europe is trying to stem the spread of the COVID variants, let's turn to CNN contributor, Barbie Nadeau.

Let's start with the Netherlands, going into lockdown yet again.

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. It's kind of a surprise lockdown. People had already made their Christmas holiday plans; now they're limited to having just four people to their private homes for the actual holidays and two people during the holiday season.

That is a huge disappointment, because they had just come out of a restrictive lockdown a couple of weeks ago. And here they are, back in again because of the spread of, in their case, Omicron.

The rest of Europe, however, is still dealing with Delta. And the hospitalizations are going up, case numbers are going up, people are getting tested to be able to go to cocktail parties and things like that.

[04:15:00]

NADEAU: Everybody is worried about what the next week is going to look like here, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, many countries having problems, Germany; France, the prime minister warning Omicron is spreading at lightning speed.

NADEAU: That's right. And these lockdowns bring protests. People who are very, very angry about further restrictions are generally those people who are not vaccinated. And we've seen anti-vax protests across Europe this weekend, especially. And some of these restrictions are limited to the people who are not vaccinated yet.

That makes those people more angry. They get out and gather together and, of course, the virus spreads that way as well.

But we're seeing it affect everyone here right now, you know, with the tighter restrictions, curfews in some places, New Year's Eve festivities canceled here in Rome.

And in Paris, you know, there'll be no fireworks displays and things like that. Last year was a terrible Christmas for many people. And this year really is starting to look like it's going to be a very similar holiday season for many, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Sad to see. Barbie Nadeau, thank you so much. As Ukraine braces for a possible invasion by Russia, the British

defense secretary says it's unlikely NATO would send troops if Russian forces launch an offensive. I'll have a live report from Moscow, just ahead.

Plus, survivors grapple with the aftermath of a powerful typhoon that battered the Philippines. We'll show you the devastation that the storm left behind and tell you where it's headed next. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: NATO allies are speaking out about Russia's military buildup near Ukraine and the looming threat of an invasion. The U.K.'s defense secretary says it's unlikely NATO would send troops to assist Ukrainian forces, since Ukraine isn't a NATO member.

But European leaders continue to warn punishing economic consequences if Russia invades with Germany, threatening to block Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Melissa Bell joins us now live from Moscow.

We've seen this diplomatic flurry of activity from both sides around Ukraine these last few days.

But are we any closer to a resolution?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On the contrary, Kim, the brinkmanship -- the war of words seems only to have intensified with, on one hand, on the Russian side, that list of demands clearly put before not only the United States but NATO during the week.

We've heard from Sergey Ryabkov, saying, look, these were not ultimatums, just warnings. Yet, warnings, of course, that the West, in the shape of NATO and the United States, needs to sit down to begin these discussions, these negotiations on the basis of demands by Moscow, that would simply be unacceptable, either to European partners, to European leaders, to NATO or to the United States.

On the American side and on the Western side, much greater coordination than anything we've seen before regarding Ukraine in terms of its preparation of sanctions, in terms of its intelligence sharing and in terms of a much more coordinated measure that anything it had before.

We've seen activity in Brussels, in Washington, as well. And we've been hearing from top American officials that what they consider now is that there is a four-week window of opportunity for some kind of de-escalation, some kind of sense of resolution tool.

But that narrow -- that window definitely narrowing, even as Moscow watches with a wary eye, the United States and Europe prepare the sanctions on the European side, Europe saying that they would have massive consequences for Russia.

And what we know is that both sides are really preparing sanctions far beyond anything that we saw in 2014.

BRUNHUBER: All right. So Melissa Bell in Moscow. Thanks so much.

Officials fear the death toll will keep rising after Typhoon Rai rampaged through parts of the Philippines. Local officials say at least 75 people have died, even though a national emergency agency still keeps the death toll at 31.

It pummeled the nation for three days, bringing wind gusts of more than 190 miles per hour at one point. Now while corn and rice fields are underwater because of flooding, the storm forced more than 300,000 people to flee their homes. Rai is now out of the Philippines but still packs a powerful punch.

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[04:25:00]

BRUNHUBER: Still to come, CNN heads to Michigan, where the military was deployed to help a hospital inundated with patients.

And the vice president is coming under scrutiny over remarks she made about the Delta and Omicron variants. What she said and how the White House is responding. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Back to our top story. The Omicron variant of the coronavirus threatens to send America's COVID-19 surge into overdrive. The country is already seeing spikes in cases, hospitalizations and deaths. But experts say it's the Delta variant, not Omicron, that's driving the current surge.

It's expected to become the dominant strain in the coming weeks. But hospitals are already stretched thin and experts warn that Omicron could push them to the breaking point.

And a possible sign of what's to come in the U.S., a short time ago, the U.K. health secretary reported that Omicron is now the dominant strain in England.

All right, now to Michigan, where hospitals are overburdened with COVID-19 patients.

[04:30:00]

BRUNHUBER: Health officials say many of these patients aren't vaccinated. CNN's Jason Carroll visited one hospital to see how they're handling the caseload. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISSA MADDOX, COVID UNIT NURSE, BEAUMONT HOSPITAL: It's been a lot of worse lately but we do what we can.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The hours at work for nurses like Lissa Maddox seem never-ending.

MADDOX: I am -- unfortunately, I'm not a super -- a superhero or -- I'm just a nurse.

CARROLL: Maddox is a COVID nurse working on 8 North team; eighth floor, North Tower at Beaumont Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. She's worked here since she graduated from nursing school only about 1.5 years ago.

Lately, the COVID unit here is seeing more and more patients, all while there are fewer nurses to care for them.

MADDOX: There's been days where I've been like I don't know how much longer I can do this. And I'm brand new, you know. But then at the same time, it's very rewarding what we do.

CARROLL: The new wave of COVID-19 is flooding Michigan's health care system, overwhelming doctors and nurses. Admissions to hospitals statewide have risen 43 percent over the past month.

Currently, there are more than 100 people being treated for COVID-19 at Beaumont hospital. By comparison, in July, hospitalized COVID patients were only in the single digits.

The influx of patients has tax this hospital so much so the Department of Defense dispatched a Joint Task Force Civil Support Unit to help.

LT. COL. THERESA NOWAK, ARMY NURSE CORPS: I mean, the pace is very, very fast. The need is constant.

CARROLL: Theresa Nowak is a lieutenant colonel based out of Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take a breath.

CARROLL: She is part of a mobile team that includes 14 critical care nurses, four doctors and two respiratory therapists now working at Beaumont.

The team has worked at hospitals in 13 states since August. The situation so critical here, just a few minutes into our interview, staff had to rush in to help a distress patient.

Can you tell us what's happening behind us here?

NOWAK: So if there is a patient that needs acute care, maybe a change in heart rate, a change in respiratory rates, then, generally, a care coms that have critical care experience, they come in and help, help with care for that patient. I've been in for almost 17 years and if you would have asked me five years ago, would I be embedding in a civilian hospital to help provide care, I would have -- I would have been like, no, you've got to be kidding me.

CARROLL: What is not surprising to the strike team or to hospital staff, people needing critical care are overwhelmingly unvaccinated. Beaumont Health says 443 out of the 583 COVID patients it is caring for state-wide are unvaccinated. The vast majority of those in its ICU and on ventilators, also unvaccinated.

Sara Pristavu is a recovering COVID patient. She says her vaccination status is private. She and her father who also has COVID were admitted on Sunday.

SARA PRISTAVU, COVID-19 PATIENT: I hope he's OK. He's not too far from me here. I'm not allowed to see him because of the quarantining. It's been a roller coaster. Sorry.

It's been -- it's been a roller coaster but now I feel a lot better.

CARROLL: Pristavu says she needed oxygen when she arrived but no longer and she credits those working the COVID unit here, both civilian and military with helping to save her life.

And as for urgent pleas from those in the medical field for more people to get vaccinated, she says this.

CARROLL (on camera): What do you see as the right thing and the wrong thing?

PRISTAVU: I really like to stay neutral.

CARROLL (voice-over): Nurses like Lissa Maddox know, the stress for the 8 North team may just be beginning again.

MADDOX: Will I break in three months?

Will I break in a year?

Will I break in 10?

I can't -- I don't have that answer for you. Right now, I'm battling this with my patients and I don't see a stop anytime soon.

CARROLL (on camera): The doctors and nurses here expressed how grateful they are to have the military team here at Beaumont hospital.

In terms of how long they're going to be at Beaumont, we're told that the military team could be here for a month, possibly longer, depending upon the need. After that, they will then move on to another hospital, where there is more need -- Jason Carroll, CNN, Dearborn, Michigan.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BRUNHUBER: U.S. President Joe Biden will address public concerns about

the Omicron variant in a speech on Tuesday. And the White House is clarifying remarks made by Vice President Kamala Harris about mutations, like the Omicron and Delta variants. CNN's Joe Johns reports.

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JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: In a departure from a continuing message from the White House on COVID, Vice President Kamala Harris conceding in a wide ranging interview with the "Los Angeles Times," that the administration did not anticipate the Omicron and Delta variants.

Here's a quote, "We didn't see Delta coming and I think most scientists did not, upon whose advice and direction we have relied, didn't see Delta coming. We didn't see Omicron coming. And that's the nature of what this awful virus has been, which, as it turns out, has mutations and variants."

A White House official also clarifying to CNN that the administration was aware of variants in general and that's the reason for masking as well as encouraging the public to get vaccinated.

On Saturday, the White House press secretary announced on Twitter that President Biden will give a COVID speech on Tuesday that will include a stark warning to Americans who have not gotten vaccinated -- Joe Johns, CNN, at the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Several groups are appealing a U.S. circuit court decision that reinstates a COVID vaccine or testing mandate for large employers. They're asking the Supreme Court to put the Biden administration requirement on hold while the appeals process plays out.

CNN asked Republican congressman Larry Bucshon to weigh in on all of the legal maneuvering. He's also a physician who opposes vaccine mandates. Here he is.

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REP. LARRY BUCSHON (R-IN): I think ultimately, it needs to get to the Supreme Court. I think it's a controversial situation. You know, with the private sector, I'm against the federal government mandating the private sector to do medical procedures like this.

But I still think everybody should get vaccinated. I think ultimately it just needs to go to the Supreme Court and they need to decide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The Biden administration's mandate impacts over 80 million workers across the U.S.

Family members say at least one person is missing after a fire tore through a distribution center for the popular QVC TV shopping channel in North Carolina. But officials say they think all 300 employees working there at the time got out safely.

The fire chief says about 75 percent of the warehouse is damaged. The company can't say how deliveries of purchases will be affected and the cause of the fire is also unclear.

Haiti's second largest city is reeling from a fuel truck explosion that has left more than 70 people dead. Tuesday's blast highlights another problem, that fuel is in short supply and powerful gangs can choke its delivery. As Matt Rivers reports, many Haitians are paying a high price for that.

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MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Massive flames illuminating the night sky in Cap-Haitien, the northern port city and Haiti's second largest. A fuel truck had exploded moments before in the middle of a dense neighborhood.

It's not clear what caused the explosion but the city's mayor said the truck had mechanical problems and had stopped began leaking fuel and people had crowded around, hoping to collect some for themselves.

That crowd is what made the explosion catastrophic. Dozens of people dead and dozens more injured, frontline workers clearing bodies, covering them with white cloths; the next morning, moving the dead into a waiting truck.

It was a brutal scene, in part caused by a critical fuel crisis on the island. Spot protests have gone on for months, people angry over not being able to get fuel.

"We don't have a government," this man says.

"If we don't demand change, who will?"

Tires set on fire and debris thrown into the street are desperate attempts to cause enough chaos that the government tries to fix the problem but it won't be easy. Not only is the government so broken it can't buy enough fuel but, when some arrives, it can't get delivered.

The vast majority of fuel is imported at these two locations. But gangs in Port-au-Prince are so powerful, they have near complete control over this crucial stretch of highway, which means they control the flow of fuel into the capital.

A gas retailer, identity hidden due to security concerns, told us what happens if you try and drive a tanker into pickup fuel.

RIVERS (on camera): So I might get kidnapped.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. RIVERS (on camera): I might get shot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, if you don't stop.

RIVERS (on camera): I might get killed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

RIVERS (on camera): Or at the very least I'm going to have to pay an exorbitant bribe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, of course.

RIVERS (voice-over): Haiti's government and law enforcement are either unwilling or unable to secure a flow of fuel from the ports.

RIVERS (on camera): But not having enough fuel doesn't just mean you can't use your motorbike. Consider this: here in Port-au-Prince, the electricity grid is not reliable. So let's say you own a small store and you sell cold drinks.

In order to keep that refrigerator running, you need to use a generator. And if the fuel going into that generator is way more expensive than it was before, that means you need to charge your customers more for those cold drinks.

Not having enough fuel makes all kinds of things more expensive. And that's brutal in a country already dealing with so much poverty.

[04:40:00]

RIVERS (voice-over): This is the scene from about six weeks ago, inside the empty hallways of Hospital Universitaire de la Paix, normally packed with patients. Just a few were inside when we were there.

Ketia Estille's son almost died during an overnight asthma attack. She says, "The doctor was using the flashlight on his phone to put my son on oxygen because there is no electricity. It's so bad, I almost lost him."

RIVERS (on camera): Normally all of those cribs would be filled with sick kids. But the hospital is turning away nearly every single patient that comes here, because, right now, there are simply not enough doctors, nurses or electricity to take care of them. That means that one of Haiti's largest hospitals is essentially not functioning.

RIVERS (voice-over): The doctors are trying but they cannot do anything. She says they have no help. Only God can help at this point. Her son survived but other victims of this fuel crisis did not.

So many crowded around the leaking fuel trucks, said the mayor, in part, because they were so desperate for gasoline. What happened in Cap-Haitien a horrific consequence of a country starving for fuel -- Matt Rivers, CNN.

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BRUNHUBER: The Taliban are changing their passport policy in Afghanistan. We'll look at what this means for Afghans, trying to flee a humanitarian and economic crisis. That's ahead, stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: The Taliban say they're ready to start issuing passports again, raising hopes for Afghans desperate to leave their country. Crowds gathered outside the passport office in Kabul as the news spread.

The Islamist rulers stopped issuing passports after taking power in mid-August. They tried to restart the process in October but closed days later when their biometric machines stopped working. Now all of this as the country faces a dire humanitarian and economic crisis.

[04:45:00]

BRUNHUBER: Winter in Afghanistan threatens to make an already dire situation worse for millions of people. Michael Holmes reports on the horrific conditions facing desperate people, as cold weather sets in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kabul's first snowfall. For these children throwing snowballs at each other, it's a fun day. But for many Afghans facing their first winter back under the Taliban control, the cold conditions are a sign of difficult times ahead.

This man says, "When there's snowfall, it's a day of happiness and celebration for rich people," but adds, "for the normal people of Afghanistan, who are poor and helpless, it's like poison."

The country's economy already shaky after decades of war has been pushed to the brink of collapse since the Taliban's takeover in August, billions of dollars in international aid, which Afghanistan relied upon for humanitarian assistance and to fund the government, has been cut off, with another $9.5 billion in assets at the central bank of Afghanistan, frozen by the U.S.

Millions are without work and the cost of food and fuel has shot up, making many basic necessities too expensive for Afghans to buy. The U.N.'s World Food Programme warns that a harsh winter could bring, quote, "an avalanche of hunger and destitution" to the country.

The aid group says an estimated 98 percent of Afghans aren't eating enough, up 17 percent since the Taliban's takeover.

THOMSON PHIRI, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME SPOKESPERSON: Families are resorting to desperate measures as the bitter winter sets in. Nine in every 10 families are now buying less expensive food, which tends to be less nutritious. Eight in 10 are eating less and seven in 10 are borrowing food in order to get by.

HOLMES (voice-over): Officials say that food insecurity will push people deeper into poverty, which could result in families turning into ever-more desperate measures to survive, including child labor, early marriage and even the sale of children.

On Saturday, senior Taliban leaders asked countries to release the blocked aid, saying it hurt the common people and would force more families to migrate. Hard choices ahead for the international community but mainly for the people of Afghanistan, who once again are left out in the cold -- Michael Holmes, CNN.

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BRUNHUBER: A teen in Texas is using his coding abilities to help people who are nonverbal. Coming up, we have the inspiring story of just who motivated him to take on that cause. Stay with us.

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TIGER WOODS, GOLF PRO: It's frustrating when I don't hit the ball as far as I know that I can and the shots that I see that don't come off the way that I want.

After what I've been through this year, it's been a difficult year. So understanding that I'm not in golf shape, I'm not in practice shape or tournament shape, hopefully, I'll get to that point again. We'll see.

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As you can see, Tiger Woods is back. That was the golf legend after competing for the first time since a car crash that crushed his leg in February. The 45-year old, alongside his teammate and 12-year-old son, Charlie, finished the opening round of the 2021 PNC championship Saturday. They're currently tied for fifth.

Well, people take the ability to speak for granted but, for some, it's not a given. Now a teen in Texas is determined to give everyone a voice, through an innovative app he created for someone close to his heart.

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ARCHER CALDER, TEEN APP DEVELOPER: You were telling me how you wanted a scooter from Santa, how you wanted a scooter for Christmas.

Is that true?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scooter.

A. CALDER: You want scooters?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST (voice-over): This is Della. The 14-year old was born with a rare genetic condition that impacts her ability to speak.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We didn't realize there was an issue until she was about 1. And she wasn't meeting her milestones. So difficulty sitting up, crawling; we also noticed there was no speech. She's completely non-verbal.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Train.

CHAD CALDER, ARCHER AND DELLA'S FATHER: You want to ride the train?

BLITZER (voice-over): Della's brother, Archer, has been developing a web application to help his sister communicate.

A. CALDER: She wants to communicate like everybody else. And just imagine how hard it would be if you couldn't communicate by talking to people.

BLITZER (voice-over): The website lets users program buttons with images of their choice that represent words.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nuggets.

A. CALDER: Nuggets, OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Train.

A. CALDER: Yes, we're going to go to the train.

C. CALDER: We're still going to the train.

In the past, when we had to run errands, we just took her. She was never really consulted. And I mean, now, today, outings start with us just asking, hey, do you want to go do this?

Do you want to go do that?

Yes, I want to go do that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Choo-choo.

A. CALDER: Choo-choo?

Do you want to go fast?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to go faster.

A. CALDER: You want to go faster?

Wherever I first made the application, I spent like an hour or two coding the tile pad for her and making sure that it has all of her favorite buttons and stuff. And then I remember, I gave it to her. I put it on her iPad and she opened it up and did like one or two things and then closed it out and watched what she was watching.

Like all this had amounted to this small interaction. But it was a big deal for me, seeing her communicate with my application. I want everyone to have a moment like that with their nonverbal sibling or friend.

So I have a nonverbal sibling. That being said, a lot of apps on the app store are made for people who can't talk are extremely, extremely expensive.

BLITZER (voice-over): That's why Archer made his app free for anyone to use.

A. CALDER: When I had first made my first video, I only expected it to receive, you know, a few dozen, a hundred views. When it received a million views, I got a lot of comments, a lot of comments congratulating me.

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A. CALDER: And originally, because I was such a junior developer and I knew it, I kind of felt this sense of like imposter syndrome. The good part about it, you know, I got a lot of eyeballs on the project. And I got a lot of contributors who wanted to contribute their code.

BLITZER (voice-over): Archer made his software open source, which means other coders can add new features to the app.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today I'm going to show us how we can control free speech with just our eyes on the iPad, using an awesome application called Hawkeye Access. I will then look up the word "hello."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Blink.

BLITZER (voice-over): While the app is still a work in progress and is still only acceptable through a website it's already helping people across America and the world find their own voices.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The fact that he's motivated to help other people, he takes in the comments that they have, he takes in the suggestions. That's what any parent wants for their son. They want their child to grow up to be empathetic. And now here he is, in a very tangible way, helping other people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wolf Blitzer, CNN, Washington.

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BRUNHUBER: What a great story.

Well, that wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber and I'll be back in just a moment with more news. Please do stay with us.