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Impact Of Omicron Variant On Holiday Travel In U.S.; Cruise Ships Face Omicron Outbreaks At Sea; U.S. Omicron Cases Surge, Straining Health Care System; Remembering The Legacy Of Late Anti- Apartheid Activist. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired December 27, 2021 - 00:00   ET

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

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ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Hong Kong, welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Anna Coren. Ahead on CNN Newsroom.

The Omicron variant is fueling a new surge of infections across the U.S. And as cases spread, the country is seeing a COVID test shortage. COVID-19 is also causing chaos at airports around the world. Thousands of flights canceled as airline workers continue to call in sick.

And his voice helped in apartheid. A look back at the legacy of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

We begin this hour with the growing concern over the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the United States. It's driving daily COVID infections to highs not seen since last January. And as cases spread, so does the demand for tests. Americans are facing a shortage of at- home kids.

And this is the scene at testing sites around the country. Long lines with people often having to wait hours to get tested. The White House is facing increased criticism over its handling of COVID testing. Here's what top health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci had to say.

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DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, U.S. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES: We should be using testing much more extensively than we have, even in a situation where you have people who are vaccinated or boosted. But the situation where you have such a high demand, a conflation of events, Omicron stirring people to get appropriately concerned and wanting to get tested as well as the fact of the run-on tests during the holiday season.

We've, obviously, got to do better. I mean, I think things will improve greatly as we get into January, but that doesn't help us today and tomorrow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COREN: Well, all this is causing major disruptions during what is typically one of the busiest travel days of the year. On Sunday, nearly 1,500 flights were canceled as staff and crew continued to call out sick due to the Omicron surge in the United States. And two cruise ships returned to Florida after several passengers and crew members tested positive for COVID despite all adults being fully vaccinated.

Well CNN has this story covered from all angles. Alison Kosik is in New York with more on the cruise ships. But first let's go to Nadia Romero in Atlanta for details on the flight cancelations.

NADIA ROMERO, CNN U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, some frustration here at Atlanta's airport here at Hartsfield-Jackson for some travelers whose flights were delayed or canceled. One woman told me that her flight was canceled from Atlanta to Wyoming and she was hoping to get back because she asked to go back to work and get back to her normal routine. But that just can't happen because of that canceled flight.

That flight one of more than thousand flights cancelled on Sunday alone, bringing the total this weekend to about 2,000 flights. That's just domestic. And you add thousands more when you talk about international travel. But for some people they said despite all the cancelations delays, they've been checking their phone. And when their flight was able to be on time, they came to the airport they said they weren't going to miss it because they haven't seen family and friends since before the pandemic two years ago.

Listen to them talk about that experience of finally being able to get back home.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was my in-laws, first time I've seen them in about two years. So yes, it's been a while and saw my mom over Thanksgiving first time in two years. I got my booster shot. That was first and foremost. I was due for it, so I got that. Been wearing my mask.

And I actually ended up switching my seat to be next to one person instead of three other people. So just to keep my distance. So, yes, my whole family is vaccinated and we felt safe. It was just immediate family, just like 10 people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMERO: Now TSA tells us that screening through their security checkpoints is down this holiday season, Christmas and Christmas Eve, compared to the same time period back in 2019. So pre-pandemic levels, and it contribute some of that to the coronavirus, the Omicron variant that is spreading rapidly with cases that we're seeing rising across the country and also all of the thousands of cancelations and delays.

Nadia Romero, CNN, Atlanta.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The cruise line industry is facing disruption again because of COVID-19. Over the past week, at least four cruise ships were turned away from ports of call and passengers were denied entry to ports because of cases of COVID on their ships.

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Now U.S. based ships resumed service just this past summer after being shut down because of the pandemic. Now there are vaccine requirements in place and measures in place to try to keep the spread of COVID from happening on these ships. But even since then, COVID incidents have happened on some of these ships.

One case in point, in August, on a Carnival cruise ship. 27 people tested positive for COVID. They were isolated and passengers were still allowed to disembark after they showed proof of a negative COVID test.

Difference this time, the Omicron variant, it's more transmissible. And a Carnival spokesperson told CNN in a statement that the variant may shape how some destination authorities view even a small number of cases. Now Carnival cruise ship freedom was one of the ships impacted over the past week with what Carnival calls a small number of passengers testing positive for COVID.

That ship docked as planned in Miami on Sunday. And the passengers getting off the ship after their eight-day voyage had very different experiences. Listen to what they had to say.

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JIM STORUPSKI, CARNIVAL FREEDOM PASSENGER: We've heard varying stories, we've heard five, we've heard 12, we've heard 25.

CONNIE STORUPSKI, CARNIVAL FREEDOM PASSENGER: They quarantine them. I mean, it was safe. We had a good time. We will do it again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I couldn't even go on a pool the whole time. We didn't touch one pool on that ship because everybody's in there all over each other. Nobody's wearing masks. It was disgusting. Nobody cared.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: Although there is an uptick in the number of cruises that have had to alter their itineraries, the impact of cruises really only represent a small fraction of the dozens of cruise ships that are throughout -- that have sailed throughout the month. And the disruptions are certainly a far cry from what happened in March 2020 when the entire U.S. cruise industry had to shut down because of the pandemic.

And there were weeks where there were efforts to get passengers and crew onboard those ships to get them home as ports were closed for vessels that were hit by outbreaks of COVID.

Alison Kosik, CNN, New York. COREN: Well, it's not just the U.S., the Omicron variant is fueling surges in COVID cases around the world. In Israel, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is self-isolating after his daughter tested positive. The news comes as Israel sees a spike in new infections with Omicron cases doubling over the weekend.

In South Africa, where the variant was first detected, a top scientist says the country has passed its Omicron peak. Officials are relaxing rules for people exposed to the virus.

And in the U.K., new data shows vaccine uptake soared ahead of Christmas. In the week leading up to the holiday, the number of people getting their first dose was up 46 percent compared to the week before. The government is ramping up its vaccination and booster campaign amid a record surge in that new cases.

Well, so far the U.K. has resisted bringing back strict lockdown measures in England but that's hardly the case in other parts of Europe, where Omicron is spurring a wave of new rules. Barbie Nadeau reports.

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: A surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the Omicron variant has led to new restrictions across Europe ahead of New Year celebrations. In France, which logged more than 100,000 cases in a single day on Christmas Eve, restrictions will mean no fireworks for New Year's Eve in Paris.

In Italy, which logged nearly 55,000 new infections in a single day, New Year's Eve concerts and outdoor gatherings have also been canceled and nightclubs will be closed all month. Spain and Italy now also require masks to be worn outdoors.

Belgium has closed movie theaters. And in Germany, sporting events will be held without fans. Some European countries now require visitors from within Europe to be tested for COVID before departing. In Greece, visitors have to test a few days after arrival as well.

Elsewhere across Europe, spikes in cases have led to closures, cancelations, and curfews as governments do anything they can to avoid locking down entirely.

Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.

COREN: Well joining me now is Dr. Scott Miscovich, a U.S. consultant for COVID-19 and President and CEO of Premier Medical Group USA. Dr. Mickiewicz, seasons greetings to you and your family. Great to have you with us.

DR. SCOTT MISCOVICH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, PREMIER MEDICAL GROUP USA: Thank you, Anna.

COREN: Omicron is spreading at lightning speed across the U.S. as you well know, sending daily caseload soaring to levels higher than last winter's pandemic peak. Are you concerned that this will overload the country's health system considering only what, 62 percent of the population is fully vaccinated? MISCOVICH: Absolutely, we are totally concerned that our health system may be pushed to the brink. You know right now, our health system is about 75 percent of the beds are full.

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We have about 25 percent of our -- or 25 of our 50 states have their ICU capacity, upwards of 85 percent. Those are serious numbers. And we are just starting to see the numbers of hospital beds occupied by COVID go from 40,000 or so in November. Now it's approaching 80,000.

And we are just starting to reflect the hospital admissions. Remember, they lag about 14 days after the counts go up. And the numbers in the U.S. are soaring. So we are very concerned about it.

COREN: Were you expecting, I guess, Omicron cases to peak and then hospitalizations to also peak?

MISCOVICH: Well, right now, we can't answer that question because we are looking at Europe. And as the reports, we just listened to basically show, the counts are at all-time highs in pretty much half of Europe right now. And then we're really pulsing London because London and suburban London is where the Omicron surge really happened. It's a little further ahead.

And actually, their hospital beds have gone up 92 percent. The usage in a period of one week, so very concerning number. And the real answer to that, Anna, is we don't know. And more than likely, if you look at what's going to happen in the U.S., we'll see the real barometer will be following what's happening in Europe.

COREN: As you well know, doctors are burnt out. They've been fighting, you know, against COVID now for two years. If there is a surge in hospitalizations, will the system be able to cope?

MISCOVICH: I don't think so. I mean, we already have -- I think at least five states have FEMA and National Guard that are helping to staff their hospitals. And there are more requests that are coming up that can't be handled until January.

Now, the real concern is, you know, we talked about this -- what we like to say it's still a bit of a myth for people saying, oh, it's mild, don't worry about it. We still have questions about that. But the fact is, because the rise is vertical, even if 25 percent less people get hospitalized because the numbers are going up exponentially, it's going to overwhelm our health system in a very short period of time.

So it's the speed of the rise of Omicron which is threatening our health system. Remember, we've lost almost 20 percent of our nurses across the United States over the last 18 months. So it's a real challenge.

COREN: I wanted to ask you out about these mild symptoms, because the latest data out of the U.K., Scotland and South Africa certainly suggests that Omicron causes less serious illness than its predecessors. Should we welcome this as encouraging news, or is that a risk that is not worth taking at the moment?

MISCOVICH: It is an absolute risk that we need to stop people from thinking about. There are so many confounding variables in the data. You know, we look at the Scotland data then we look at the Royal College data, they're better data.

The South African data started at all because -- but the factor is that they had 70 percent of the population already had COVID and the ages of those that were affected with Omicron were very young. That's a different population. What we're worried about is this getting into populations that are unvaccinated, and we do not have data yet.

And most data we do have show is that the unvaccinated are getting just as serious illness as this and then the vaccinated with two shots, which we know is not effective fully against Omicron are getting hospitalized. They're still not dying. Remember, shots work, boosters work, but very early, we will probably have within two weeks much better data that we're going to be able to confidently rely on. But right now, please, we have to have everyone understand, take it serious.

COREN: Yes, I got my booster shot last week. I presume that, obviously, this is something that you are pushing people to do now more than ever.

MISCOVICH: Oh gosh. Yes, right now, we want to do everything we can to encourage boosters, and the third shots. And I think any of these prior systems that had set up, well if you had full vaccine, two shots, you could enter into a bar or a pub or to outdoor or indoor setting. We need to turn that to three because it's -- right now three shots is fully vaccinated not two.

And I don't want to be sounding the alarm, but remember, the E.U. has already purchased 150 million or 180 million of the Pfizer/Omicron specific shots that will be available sometime in April. So we're not done. We're going to continue to stay ahead of this.

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COREN: Dr. Scott Miscovich, as always, great to get your insight. Thanks so much for joining us.

MISCOVICH: Thanks for having me, Anna. Take care.

COREN: Well still ahead, with the Winter Olympics just weeks away, China's zero-COVID policy is being put to the test, a look at some of the extreme measures being used to quash local outbreaks. But first, the world mourn South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu who passed away on Sunday in Cape Town. A look at his life and legacy after the break.

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COREN: Well messages of sympathy are pouring in from around the world following the death Sunday of South African anti-apartheid activist and human rights leader Archbishop Desmond Tutu. U.S. President Joe Biden sent condolences, tweeting, "We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a true servant of God and of the people." Former US President Barack Obama described him as a mentor and a Universal Spirit. Adding that Tutu was concerned with injustice everywhere.

Robyn Curnow has more on the Archbishop's life and legacy.

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ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While inmate, Nelson Mandela was the face of South Africa's liberation struggle, Archbishop Desmond Tutu was its voice.

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DESMOND TUTU, SOUTH AFRICAN PRIEST: To thank for you, continue in this country. Continue --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Amen.

TUTU: Continue in the struggle to make South Africa free.

REV. FRANK CHIKANE, FMR. HEAD, SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES: Because it's Desmond Tutu because it's Desmond Tutu speaking, he's got a way of reaching out to people. He makes it light, even when it is tough, makes people laugh, even when they are mourning. And and he's able to inspire people and knew exactly what to say at the right moment.

CURNOW (voice-over): When he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the anti-apartheid movement was under attack. The minority government had banned the African National Congress and imprisoned its leaders. It was the clergy led by Tutu that stepped in to fill the void.

CHIKANE: We reached the stage where the church was a protector of the people, was their voice for the people. In fact, the the president, then P.W. Botha put it this way that the Council of Churches was presenting itself as an alternative government. And if a president of the country makes that type of a statement, then you know that, indeed the church has taken the place. They served the victims of a party.

CURNOW (voice-over): A decade later, the struggle paid off, when South Africa held its very first democratic election in 1994.

(on-camera): For you in your life, what do you think has been the greatest thing you've ever done?

TUTU: Well, I say to people, that my happiest moment was when I was told I am a father for the first time. When our son was born, I was on cloud nine. A close second to that is 1994, when I was standing on the balcony of the city hall, overlooking the grand parade, and introducing Nelson Mandela to the crowd, to South Africa, to the world.

Ladies and gentleman, friends, fellows of African, I ask you, welcome our brand new state president, (INAUDIBLE) Nelson Mandela.

I actually said to God, Oh God, I don't mind if I die now. CURNOW (voice-over): As a new Democracy took hold in South Africa, Tutu was again called on to lead. In 1995, President Nelson Mandela appointed him as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In front of a nation, desperate to heal. A man never afraid to speak his mind, wasn't afraid to show his emotion either.

GRACA MACHEL, CO-FOUNDER, "THE ELDERS": He is a person whose life was always dedicated to others. And the thing that has enriched in him also in knowing how to connect to different kinds of people, different status, but he connected very, very, very well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We owe our freedom to extraordinary people.

CURNOW (voice-over): In 2007, he joined a group of prominent world leaders called The Elders. Their mission, focusing the world's attention on all forms of injustices.

His biographer John Allen says it was during the liberation struggle that Tutu gained an unwavering confidence in his causes, grounded in his faith.

JOHN ALLEN, TUTU BIOGRAPHY: To take that particular role that he took, which was really to be public enemy number one for white South Africans, and to be able to withstand the pressures, the enormous pressures on him and the hatred that he was the victim of during those years. He needed somebody who had an enormous amount of self- confidence and a healthy sense of self and ego. And his faith helped that.

CURNOW (on-camera): Any regrets, sir?

TUTU: Being maybe too abrasive. And because I was right, so easily becoming self-righteous.

CURNOW (on-camera): For you to say that?

TUTU: Yes. Yes. You know, we knew we were right. But it was so easy for that to turn and you get to feel you're better than your opponent, whereas you aren't. You're all God's children.

[00:25:13]

CURNOW (voice-over): Tutu officially retired from public life in 2010, but remained in the public eye. A man unafraid of criticism and threats from an apartheid government. He was also unafraid to criticize even those with whom he had fought for freedom.

TUTU: I am warning you.

CURNOW (voice-over): Before his 80th birthday celebration in 2011, Tutu lashed out at the South African government for denying the Dalai Lama a visa.

TUTU: One day, we will start praying for the defeat of the ANC government. You are disgraceful. I want to warn you, you are behaving in a way that is totally at variance with the things for which we stood.

CURNOW (on-camera): Walking in Desmond Tutu shoes, do you feel like a great man? Do you feel like a spirit --

TUTU: What is that?

CURNOW (on-camera): I don't know.

TUTU: I mean, what is a great man? No, I just know that I've had incredible, incredible, incredible opportunities. And I know -- and that is why I say I know I depend on others. And they've said, when you stand out in a crowd, it is always only because you are being carried on the shoulders of others.

What is a leader without followers? You depend on them. Imagine if the people in the townships had repudiated me. Where would I be? So, the plaudits and all the awards that one has got, I've always said, I accept them representatively because they belong as much to those people, the millions and millions out there, as to me.

Maybe I should say they belong much more to them than to me. They took me only because I have this large nose and I have this easy name Tutu.

CURNOW (voice-over): The country's moral compass with a voice to match.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COREN: What a laugh and what a man. Archbishop Desmond Tutu was 90 years old.

In the coming hours, we'll have more on his legacy and global reaction to his death. Stay with us.

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ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. Well turning to COVID in Asia, South Korean cases dropped below 5,000 on Sunday for the first time in weeks. And China is fighting local outbreaks with strict quarantine rules, hoping to prevent a surge ahead of the Winter Olympics.

For more, let's go to CNN's Steven Jiang who's live for us in Beijing. Steven, let's start with Shanxi province, the epicenter of the latest COVID outbreak where they've locked down Xi'an, a city of 13 million people. How authorities tackling this considering the country's COVID zero strategy?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: That's right, Anna. That's why we are seeing return of some of the most stringent containment measures, something we really haven't seen since the peak of the pandemic in this country when Wuhan was still the epicenter. As you said, since last week, the authorities had placed the cities entire more than 12 million residents under a very strict lockdown with very few exceptions, such as each household is allowed to send out one representative to do grocery shopping every other day.

But even that exception has now been suspended according to the latest local news reports because now they're doing another round of city- wide testing. This is, obviously, part of their by now familiar playbook now mass testing, mass quarantine and extensive contact tracing.

Now officials and state media have blamed this latest wave of cases on a flight from Pakistan early December. But there are still some unanswered questions in terms of this chain of transmission. That's, obviously, a major source of concern, which is why we are seeing some of the rather over-the -top measures being adopted there including the city, now in the middle of a city-wide disinfection campaign with officials warning residents to close windows and doors and not to touch anything outside in terms of surfaces and plant, even though the effectiveness of this kind of campaigns has been questioned by China's own experts and officials.

But you know, as we draw closer and closer to the Winter Olympics here in Beijing in about a month and a half, and nobody wants to take chances. I think that's what you're seeing this kind of measures being adopted in Xi'an with 26 local officials actually have already been reprimanded for a dereliction of duty.

But, Anna, the biggest question hanging above not just residents of Xi'an but the entire country right now is whether or not people could travel home during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. As you know, that's the biggest holiday here in China, usually sees the world's biggest human migration every year.

But now local officials in some cities already advising people to stay put and that would be a very bitter pill for many to swallow because for many, that will mean for the second or even third year in a row, they want to be able to go home to see their loved ones during their only time off in the entire year. Anna?

COREN: Certainly a tough time for many people. Steven Jiang joining us from Beijing, thank you.

Well joining me now is Karen Grepin. She is an associate professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong. Dr. Grepin, great to have you with us. You, obviously, are based here in Hong Kong, which as we know has very strict, if not, draconian quarantine measures. But I guess due to these measures, you know, Hong Kong has managed to catch COVID cases at the border or in quarantine.

[00:35:06]

I guess many fear it's just a matter of time before Omicron gets into the community. What are your thoughts on that?

KAREN GREPIN, ASSOC. PROF., SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG: Yes, I think these are definitely heating up right now in Hong Kong in terms of the number of imported cases. Every imported case is risk and that it has the possibility of getting into the community. But at the same time, as you said, we have some very rigorous border control measures in place here in Hong Kong, and thus far, have proven to be successful in terms of keeping this out.

I think the next couple of weeks are going to be critical in terms of us whether we succeed or not in keeping this out of the community. But the measures that we do have in place are amongst some of the most rigorous in the world, and we hope that they should be enough to keep cases out of the community.

COREN: Are you concerned about the vaccination rate here, which is still shy of 70 percent?

GREPIN: Yes, I'm actually very concerned about the vaccination right here in Hong Kong. 70 percent doesn't sound that bad. But when you look at the distribution of it, it's actually quite depressing. Less than 20 percent of those over the age of 80, meaning those that are the most critical to be vaccinated haven't actually been vaccinated yet. So if a case were to get into the community here in Hong Kong, it could spell disaster in terms of overloading of our hospitals, and the number of cases and mortality that we would experience.

COREN: Well, the Omicron variant, which is I guess, ripping through parts of the world, most of the world is highly transmissible, but I guess the severity is questionable. There's data out of Scotland, England, South Africa, that suggests that it's less serious illness that comes from Omicron compared to its predecessors, but the concern is will people become complacent?

GREPIN: Yes. I mean, I think there is an open question about how severe this is. The problem is, of course, today that we're looking at the virus spreading and populations that have been exposed to the virus, that have seen high rates of vaccination. For here in -- for us here in Hong Kong, I think we have a lot of reasons to worry about this new strain of the virus.

We don't have any previous exposure to any of the variants of the virus. And as we've discussed already, vaccination rates amongst the most vulnerable are very low. So I think it's very dangerous to start saying that this is going to be mild. It could be very severe in places like Hong Kong, which have low rates of vaccination, and having experienced the virus in the past.

COREN: Dr. Grepin, countries in Asia are now delaying the border reopenings, easing travel restrictions due to the development of Omicron. Singapore, Japan, Thailand and New Zealand just to name a few. I mean, how much longer do you think they will delay the reopenings? And don't we have to learn to live with the virus?

GREPIN: Yes. I mean, it's interesting because just a couple months ago, the same countries are the ones that were saying that they were going to start living with the virus, and were gradually starting to reopen their borders. And then, of course, this new variants of the viruses come along. And so it has given a lot of these places reason to pause.

And I think there's some value in that, in that I think it allows for countries to assess the situation a bit better, also allows for the countries to perhaps prepare for what's likely to be a very big surge in the number of cases. But I think what you're pointing at is is quite correct. And that it's probably inevitable that this virus will get into these communities, regardless of what types of measures they have.

It's quite likely that it's already in most of these places that have already opened up. And so it's a question of how long it will be able to delay it. Probably a couple of weeks, but it's unlikely to be able to avoid it altogether.

COREN: We know that China has gone from the zero COVID policy, it's closed its borders, and has closed its borders now for -- going on almost two years. We know there's this outbreak that's been reported in Shanxi province, they've locked down Xi'an, a city of 13 million people. But given what we know about Omicron and how transmissible it is, is it realistic to maintain this zero COVID strategy?

GREPIN: China has been incredibly successful over two years. You know, they have developed a playbook that has allowed them to squash out any localized outbreaks. And they're trying that again now. I think it's possible to look at this out of control but we've never really tested it with these more virulent strains like Omicron. And so it's unclear how successful it will be.

But I, you know, I think there's still a possibility that the things that they are putting into place will get this under control. The longer term question, of course, is how long do they want to maintain this zero COVID strategy is really not clear. And I think it's an open question about how long any country could sustain this over the long run.

[00:40:08]

COREN: Well it's great to get your insight and perspective from Hong Kong. Dr. Karen Grepin joining us from Hong Kong U, many thanks.

GREPIN: Thank you.

COREN: A district attorney in Colorado wants a court to reconsider the 110-year prison sentence for a truck driver convicted in a fatal crash in 2019. The details ahead.

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COREN: A Colorado court who said to hold a hearing in the coming hours as it's being asked to reconsider a lengthy prison sentence for a truck driver convicted in a 2019 fatal crash. CNN's Lucy Kafanov has the details from Los Angeles.

LUCY KAFANOV, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the district attorney is now asking the court to reconsider that lengthy 110-year prison sentence for Rogel Aguilera-Mederos potentially reducing it to 20 or 30 years. Just to remind viewers, Mederos was 23 years old at the time of the incident. He was driving at 85 miles an hour, his brakes failed. He was convicted of vehicular homicide among other charges.

The D.A. is not looking to overturn the conviction. In fact, the D.A. Alexis King said that Mederos made multiple choices that resulted in the death of four people as well as serious injury to others. And adding that the shorter sentence, quote, reflects an appropriate outcome for that conduct.

[00:45:07]

Now, at issue, our Colorado mandatory minimum sentencing laws that require sentences to be served out consecutively rather than concurrently, which is how Mederos ended up with more than a century behind bars. Even the judge who sentenced him said at the time, quote, if I had the discretion, it would not be my sentence.

Several Colorado lawmakers now calling for legal reforms. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX VALDEZ, U.S. STATE HOUSE DEMOCRAT: Our system here at this building has created a situation where a judge at their own discretion who doesn't want to issue a sentence has had to issue that sentence. What we hope to achieve is reforms. That's really what this is all about.

We have to reform a system that is creating a situation where we are creating more victims of our justice system. We have to do that now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAFANOV: Mederos himself was emotional during the sentencing saying that he never intended to hurt anyone. This -- the case sparking international and national concern. Nearly 5 million people signing a petition asking the Colorado governor to reduce or overturn the sentence. His office telling CNN that he is currently reviewing the clemency request.

Lucy Kafanov, CNN, Los Angeles.

COREN: Stay with CNN, we'll be right back.

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COREN: At least 18 people are dead and dozens more hurt as heavy floods hit Eastern, Brazil. Officials say thousands are being displaced and left homeless in Bahia State. Rain is possible through Tuesday raising the threat of more flooding and landslides.

Well, the governor in Bahia says he cannot remember seeing anything like those deadly floods, but Brazil is not alone. 2021 was marked by natural disasters, extreme storms and record heat. CNN's Bill Weir looks at the year's top weather events and the growing threat of climate change.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BILL WEIR, CNN CLIMATE CHIEF CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The signs were everywhere in '21, starting at the top of the world, where Greenland's highest peak was so freakishly warm, that it rained for several hours.

(on-camera): They believe that this is the birthplace of the iceberg that sank the Titanic. But now scientists are really worried this place could help sink Miami, and Boston and Bangkok and Shanghai because just this part of Greenland has enough ice that if it all melts, will raise sea levels by 2 feet.

(voice-over): A new study predicts that the Arctic will see more rain than snow as soon as 2060. And in the meantime, the ice sheets so vital to a planet in balance is melting at a staggering rate.

At number nine, that icy surprise in Texas which illustrated how the climate crisis can run hot and cold. With wind chills below zero on the Rio Grande, nearly 10 million loss power. The February blast became America's costliest winter storm events ever.

At number, eight flash floods on three continents. In Germany and Belgium, modern day warning systems failed as a month of rain fell in one day. In China, commuters clung to the ceiling of a subway as 1,000-year flood hit Hainan province.

And back in the U.S., the deadliest flood in Tennessee history came like a tidal wave. At number seven, the U.S. rejoins the Paris Climate Accord hours after Joe Biden became president. But pledging to slash planet cooking pollution by half, this decade is one thing. Convincing Congress to take bold action is another.

At number six, a code red for humanity, as scientists around the world issue their most dire warning to date. The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says it is unequivocal that human activity has cranked up the global thermostat by over 2 degrees Fahrenheit. And that we are careening dangerously close to a point of no return.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We meet with the eyes of history upon us.

WEIR (voice-over): And those warnings made number five all the more urgent. COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland.

(on-camera): Of the four main themes laid out by COP 26 host Boris Johnson, coal, cars, cash and trees, probably is going to be cash that provides the biggest challenge.

(voice-over): For the first time in 26 meetings, the world's delegates agreed that fossil fuels are driving the climate crisis. But not a single country committed to stopping oil or coal production anytime soon.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: A monster named Ida, the hurricane is intensifying quickly and drawing chilling comparisons to Katrina.

WEIR (voice-over): Hurricane Ida comes in at number four. As 150 mile per hour winds screamed ashore in Louisiana in early September, but that was just the beginning. Ida's aftermath dropped a rain bomb on New York sudden enough to drown families in their basement apartments. And all toll, the single storm cost over $60 billion.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: We are following breaking news this morning. A dangerous and deadly night across the central United States. A powerful line of storms unleashing at least 24 tornadoes across five states.

WEIR (voice-over): At number three, tornadoes in winter. December usually brings the fewest twisters of any month. But record warmth in the heartland spun up funnel clouds from Arkansas to Ohio. And weeks later, the damage is still being tallied.

At number two, the Pacific Northwest heat dome, which pushed the mercury in famously mild Portland well over 100 degrees for days creating a mass casualty event of creatures great and small. Over a billion shellfish baked to death on the shores of British Columbia.

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And the little town of Lytton broke the Canadian heat record three times in a week before most of it burned to the ground.

And at number one, America's mega drought. Your water can come from rivers, reservoirs, or from wells, all of which have been impacted by a 20-year mega drought fueled by the climate crisis, with 90 percent of the West starving for rain. The Feds declared the first ever shortage of the Colorado River, which is a source of life for over 40 million Americans.

Meantime, smoke from Western wildfires reached the east coast this year, from one to 10. It is all connected. And without dramatic changes on a global scale, scientists warn us the worst is yet to come.

Bill Weir, CNN, New York.

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COREN: Well thanks so much for watching. I'm Anna Coren live from Hong Kong. I'll be back with more news after this short break. Please stay with us.

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