Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

U.S. Citizens Advised to Leave Ukraine; U.S. State Department Release Caution to Embassy Staff; Experts Warns Biden Administration to Take Preemptive Measures; Anti-Vax Protesters Gathered at the National Mall; ISIS Inmates Took Control of Prison Cell. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired January 24, 2022 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Hello, and welcome to our viewers here in United States, and all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead on CNN Newsroom, tensions with the Russia escalating as the U.S. State Department calls for a reduction and staff at its embassy in Ukraine. We are live in Moscow with the latest.

Plus, from violent COVID restrictions protests across Europe to marches in Washington, D.C., against government mandates for the COVID vaccines. We'll discuss the pushback we're seeing on COVID restrictions.

And as we countdown to the Beijing Olympic Games, we'll look back on the two years since the Chinese authorities lock down the city of Wuhan.

UNKNOWN: Live from CNN center, this is CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: And thank you for joining us.

We are following developments in Ukraine this hour as fears mounts over a possible Russian invasion. The U.S. State Department says it will be reducing staff levels at the embassy in Kiev. Starting with nonessential staff and family members out of an abundance of caution.

Ukraine says Russia has now deployed more than 127,000 troops in the region amid the heightened tensions. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet with E.U. foreign ministers virtually today, and brief them on their meeting with Russia's foreign minister. Ahead of that, America's top Democrat issued this warning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: If a single additional Russian force goes into Ukraine in an aggressive way, as I said, that would trigger a swift, a severe, and united response from us, and from Europe. And again, there are other things that Russia could do that fall short of actually sending additional forces into Ukraine, and again, across the board, we are prepared with Europe for a swift, calibrated, and very united response. We're looking at every single scenario preparing for every single one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Meantime, Russia is lashing out at the U.K. foreign office one day after it said Moscow may be considering a pro- Russian politician as a candidate to lead Ukraine. The Russian embassy in the U.K. called that idea comical and demanded London put an end to, quote, "stupid, rhetorical provocations."

To Washington now where CNN correspondent Arlette Saenz is tracking the latest developments.

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. is making changes at its embassy in Kiev as concerns mount over Russia's aggression towards Ukraine. The State Department ordered the departure of all families of American diplomats, as well as authorized the departure of some non-emergency government personnel.

Now officials say that this decision was made out of an abundance of caution, and in that travel advisory that was released they wrote, there are reports of Russia is binding significant military action against Ukraine. The security conditions particularly along Ukraine's borders and Russia occupied Crimea, and in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine are unpredictable and can deteriorates with little notice.

Demonstrations which have turned violent at times regularly occur throughout Ukraine including in Kiev. Now this advisory also urged the departure of U.S. citizens from the country via commercial or other private transportation options. Officials said that if Russia moves forward with an invasion of Ukraine that the U.S. would not be in a position to evacuate its citizens from the country.

They are saying they made this decision out of an abundance of caution, but there has been rising concern over the course in the last few weeks about Russia's intentions with Ukraine. Now the U.S. shipped its first shipment of lethal aid to Ukraine in order for the country to have defense mechanisms in place should Russia move forward with that invasion.

The first shipment arrived on Saturday and Ukraine's defense minister tweeted that on Sunday, a second plane landed with 80 tons of weapons from our friends in the USA. He added, and this is not the end. The U.S. has been evaluating what kind of military assistance the country and its allies can offer to Ukraine in the scenario.

[03:05:02]

Additionally, the Pentagon has been drawing up options for President Biden to potentially bolster the U.S. military presence in eastern European NATO countries, which have been rattled by these rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Now President Biden convened a meeting of his national security team from Camp David on Saturday, where he talked about some of these deterrence measures that have been put into place. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a stern warning to Russia on Sunday, saying that any type of invasion would be met with a swift and severe response from the U.S. and its allies.

The U.S. is trying and hoping that that diplomatic course will lead to this de-escalation and tensions from Russia towards Ukraine, but they also say they're planning for all scenarios.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, the White House.

CHURCH: Let's head to Moscow now where CNN's Nic Robertson is standing by. Good to see you again, Nic. So, we can't get inside Vladimir Putin's head, but what's his likely intent here given what we know so far, and how might the withdrawal of nonessential U.S. embassy staff play to plans?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, his intent is to draw Ukraine back into Russia's sphere of orbit, and to make sure it's more compliant to Russia's national security interest. This is why he wants to stop it from joining NATO, this is why he wants NATO to pull back further east towards, back to 1997 lines.

You know, what he's going to read into the U.S. drawing down personnel into the embassy in Kiev, it's hard to know. It's certainly going to signal that President Biden at a security breach briefing over the weekend at Camp David has taken on board and, you know, he considers that Russia's very strong military buildup around Ukraine is a threat, that it's a viable force that could -- that has the potential to invade. Although Russia says it hasn't.

So, Putin's read on that is going to be one that the United States is maneuvering for the potential of an escalation towards conflict in Ukraine. That -- how does that shape his intent at the moment? It's very, very hard to see. It's very, very hard to know what President Putin is thinking right now.

But I think, you know, what one can read into his intent, is that it hasn't really changed over the years. Not since he invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea back in 2014, and everything in between. His intent to bring Ukraine back into Russia's sphere of influence has not changed.

CHURCH: And Nic more weapons have arrived in Ukraine as the U.S. warns of a swift and united response if Russia invades Ukraine. But how much of a deterrent is all this for President Putin, and what diplomatic options remain offering possible off-ramps here?

ROBERTSON: Yes. The off ramp is a discussion about possible arms reduction and possible, you know, controlling troop deployments both by Russia and by NATO. Reciprocity is what NATO is talking about, that's a minimalist version of what President Putin actually has said that he needs to have. So, it's hard to see how that's a viable off- ramp for President Putin at the moment.

You know, what, you know, to sort of shape and get him on that off- ramp, that's what these military deployments are about, because they are intended to signal to President Putin that the cost of an invasion that Russia says it's not about to take, the cost of an invasion has a political price to pay for President Putin who has been threatened with strong and swift economic sanctions, the likes of which he's never -- he's never seen before.

He knows that he exerts a large amount of influence over European nations because 40 percent of Europe's gas supply comes from Russia. He can throttle back supplies if a conflict arose. So, the military option is the one that fate that potentially gives President Putin the highest cost at home, if he can withstand economic sanctions of whatever shape they can be.

What the United States and its allies are trying to do is raise the political cost for him at home, and that political costs would come because an invasion could be very costly in terms of U.S. forces -- in terms of Russian forces. Again, Russia says it has no intention of invading, however.

CHURCH: All right, Nic Robertson watching this very closely from his vantage point there in Moscow. Many thanks as always.

A former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine told CNN it's important to make plans based on current intelligence. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[03:09:58]

WILLIAM TAYLOR, FORMER UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: There's clearly intelligence that backs this up, we've known for some time intelligence has been very clear that the Russian federation under Mr. Putin is making very evident, very obvious moves to reinforce and to build up its forces on the borders of Ukraine.

This is clear to us, we've been seeing this for weeks, for months now. And, as Putin still has a decision to make as to whether he will pull that trigger. I don't think the intelligence is able to say what's in Mr. Putin's mind. You have to make plans, you have to take precautions, you have to get people who might be at risk out of there in a way that will allow them to leave in some orderly way. So, this is -- this is what the steps are being taken now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Meantime, U.S. lawmakers are worried that Russia may invade Ukraine. Here's what Democratic senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate foreign relations committee told CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): I think our work in the Senate and President Biden's work to strengthen deterrence is what is hopefully going to succeed, but I am gravely concerned that Putin will show once again aggression in Europe and across the boundary into Ukraine in the coming days or weeks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): And Republican Senator Joni Ernst is pushing for the Biden administration to take action now. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JONI ERNST (R-IA): We do need to go ahead and impose sanctions on Russia now. We need to show them that we mean business, and we will be there for Ukraine should they invade. They see a very weak administration, and President Putin sees every opportunity to do what he wants to do in Ukraine with very little pushback from the United States. So, we need to have firm resolve with this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): And stay tuned to CNN. Later this hour we will go live to Paris to find out what European Union leaders are saying.

Well coming up here on CNN Newsroom, anti-vaccine protesters gathered at the U.S. Capitol Sunday, but not in the numbers expected. The story after the break.

Plus, protesters are pushing back on restrictions and vaccine mandates all over the world. I'll talk to a doctor about how these attitudes are ultimately putting a strain on health care systems.

[03:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH (on camera): And in Washington, D.C., protesters gathered to express their anger at government vaccination mandates. They defeat the mandates rally took place on the National Mall Sunday. Organizers said they expected 20,000 to attend, but only a few thousand showed up.

CNN's Joe Johns was there and has the story.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: No secret America is polarized over the issue of vaccines. And this event on the National Mall was visual evidence of that fact. One of the things that people were concerned about at the very outset, was that it was being billed as an event for medical autonomy.

In other words, the right not to get a shot. Or the right not to wear a mask. But this event of course, went a little bit farther than that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNKNOWN: I'm in a health care worker, and so, that has brought me out here due to issues that I've had with my job and my current vaccination status. Multiple issues with H.R. and doctors treating me differently and discriminating against me because of my choices.

UNKNOWN: You should be able to believe whatever you want to believe no matter what. And that's why I'm here. As long as you don't hurt anybody in this country, you can do anything you want.

JOHNS: It's very difficult to generalize about the crowd other than to say that one of the things that brought them together was criticism of the Biden administration's handling of the vaccines, and Dr. Fauci.

Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.

CHURCH: Dr. Scott Miscovich is the president and CEO of Premier Medical Group USA and a national consultant for COVID-19 testing. He joins me now from Hawaii. Always great to have you on the show, doctor.

SCOTT MISCOVICH, U.S. NATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR COVID-19 TESTING: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, protesters in various parts of the world are getting out on the streets opposing vaccine mandates and mask requirements, and pushing back on any new COVID restrictions despite public health experts only trying to do their best to save people's lives. Why do you think it is that some people reject their efforts? And how concerned are you about this?

MISCOVICH: It basically is various reasons. But one of the things I must say is they must not be getting the real data to show how risky it is to be out there are not wearing a mask, and to be not vaccinated. The data is crystal clear, Rosemary. Fifty times increase of chance of death or being hospitalized in the ICU with severe disease.

I mean, when you are vaccinated, you are up here with your chances, the lines for people who are vaccinated and boosted are down here, it's almost nil the chance of dying if you've been boosted are vaccinated.

I think there's a lot of misinformation that we're seeing going around online. I think there's also some distrust of the political divide. So, you know, I really think that people really need to understand now they are overwhelming our health care systems because across Europe, the health care systems are overwhelmed right now.

The poor health care workers are working nonstop every day. And then there's people out in the streets, who in those protests are basically coming down with COVID and will be in the hospital.

CHURCH: It is so frustrating. And doctor, we are learning that kids under five can expect to have access to the COVID vaccines in about two months from now as they work on refining the dosage for those younger kids. What do parents need to be doing to protect their children in the meantime?

MISCOVICH: Well, really there are two major points to look at, Rosemary. Number one, as we have talked about repeatedly is the mask.

[03:20:02]

Invest. They are available in a good fitting mask, a KN95 that is available for younger children. And that is when they are in groups, whether you decide to have to put them in school or in daycare or childcare. Have a well-fitting mask and teach them how to use it. Change it about once a week.

The second issue is, don't put them in group settings. If you are -- if they're going to be out potentially with a large number of people, like a huge birthday party or something, maybe think about it. Smaller event, possibly not.

Now, as per that vaccine, two months is fairly optimistic. It may not be two months because they had to redo the trials because they were using very light doses with the children. And they had to increase them because they weren't getting a good enough response.

So, I think that using standard mitigation and common sense will help parents. And remember, in the United States we have one million children positive last week with COVID. So, it's a real concern.

CHURCH: And doctor, in some parts of the country and indeed the world, we are starting to see COVID infections plateau even start to come down in some areas. What does that signal to you?

MISCOVICH: Well, we don't want people to misinterpret this, we do know that Omicron is still contagious that it spreads through the population and it runs out of vectors. So, the bottom line is we will see it dropping, we will see it continue decreases in certain areas as we've seen in the east coast of the U.S.

We've seen in a few areas in Europe. But in Europe, there are still many areas that are reaching their all-time high. One of the things that we have to understand is that there are going to be many what we call compounding variables that will say that certain areas might see drops, but certain areas may have a long lag and may have a little zigzag pattern that we're seeing.

So do not expect that every region of the world or every county, or every state, or every country, has exactly this peak and drop. It could be very different. And as I think I alluded to in some of my writings, we now have a new variant of Omicron that is coming out that we also have to be worried about.

CHURCH: And doctor, when do you think the world will see an end to this pandemic?

MISCOVICH: Well, I think most of us have been still looking out to say about two years. Now, I do believe we are going to have a significant drop, we're going to have a falloff over the spring, the southern hemisphere will increase and other countries will increase. Now, the major advantages we're going to see is the oral medications

Paxlovid, as well as some of the monoclonals are working well. So our death rates should continue to drop. But, until we vaccinate the world, we will see variants. And we will see multiple variants.

And as the CEO of Pfizer said today, which I've been saying to you, Rosemary, on the show with CNN, we're going to have two more years of vaccinations to really take us to the next level. And we need to find a way to vaccinate the less fortunate people in the world.

CHURCH: So important. Dr. Scott Miscovich, thank you so much as always for talking with us. I appreciate it.

MISCOVICH: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: And stay with us later this hour on CNN, we will have a live report on those European COVID mandate protests that I just mentioned there with Dr. Miscovich.

Plus, the latest on the COVID outbreak in Hong Kong. We'll also look back at the first lockdown in Wuhan on the two-year anniversary and how it's impacting China's preparations for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games.

Well coming up, European Union leaders are meeting to discuss growing fears of a possible Russian invasion in Ukraine. A live report just ahead.

Plus, an attack that may have taken months to plan. The battle to reclaim a prison housing ISIS militants in Syria after inmates took over. A live report after the break.

[03:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH (on camera): Welcome back everyone. Well, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are tightening their siege of a prison housing ISIS suspects after inmates took over the facility. There's been fierce fighting since Thursday.

The SDF says at least 27 of their fighters, dozens of ISIS members, and at least 15 inmates have been killed so far. Hundreds of civilians including women and children fled homes in nearby areas following the ISIS attack.

And CNN's Arwa Damon joins us now from Istanbul, Turkey with more on this. You've been monitoring all of this, of course, Arwa, so what more are you learning about the siege?

ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this stage right now it seems as if the SDF does control the area around the prison. but the prison complex itself very hard to get accurate information out of there, but ISIS fighters do maintain a certain level of control on portions of the prison. The U.S. has also been involved not with boots on the ground, but by

providing air support, and this was a fairly complex attack, according to a statement by the SDF that is based on fighters, ISIS fighters that they managed to detain. This has been some six months in planning, and involved around 200 ISIS fighters launching that initial attack on the prison that took place last week, late last week.

And they started this off, again, a complex attack by an explosion at the prison's gate, and then they were able to storm inside. And this really underscores a number of very concerning situations that have been evolving in this part of Syria, not recently, but actually, four years right now.

Ever since the U.S. and other coalition members declare that ISIS has at least been territorially defeated in these areas, and that is ISIS's ability to form these sleeper cells, and then to reemerge and carry out these types of attacks.

[03:29:49]

The SDF, that main fighting force on the ground for years now has been warning that it does not have the capability to, not just territorially control these areas, but also to continue

[03:30:00]

to maintain security for prisons like the one that we saw come under attack on Thursday where these fierce clashes have been continuing for days right now.

This particular prison houses thousands of ISIS fighters, not just from the region, but from a number of foreign countries as well. Foreign nationals whose own countries have been refusing to take them back, but also, at the same time, refusing to provide any sort of a solution to the detention.

Not just of ISIS fighters inside these various different prison facilities across this portion of Syria, but also for people who are considered to be the families, the wives and children of ISIS, effectively being held in prison like conditions across a number of locations in Syria.

And it also goes to show what the SDF and other analysts have been warning about, that ISIS is a very patient organization, and that it has been plotting, regrouping, especially over the course of the last few months to carry out not just these types of attacks, but potentially make more threatening territorial gains in the future, Rosemary.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): All right. Our Arwa Damon joining us live from Istanbul, many thanks bringing us up to date on that situation.

Well, Yemen's Houthi rebels confirmed that they targeted the United Arab Emirates with ballistic missiles. The UAE said early it intercepted two ballistic missiles that targeted the capital of Abu Dhabi on Monday. A ministry of defense statement said the attack did not result in any casualties. And we will of course bring you more information on this as we have it.

Well back to our top story this hour, all eyes are on Ukraine as fears of a Russian invasion intensify. U.S. President Joe Biden is now reportedly considering options to bolster troop levels in Eastern Europe.

On Sunday, the U.S. State Department also announced plans to reduce staff levels at the embassy in Kiev. It comes as Ukraine says Russia has now deployed more than 127,000 troops along the Ukrainian border.

Well, meanwhile, E.U. foreign ministers are gathering right now in Brussels to discuss the escalating tensions and possible sanctions on Russia.

And for more on this, we want to bring in CNN's Melissa Bell who joins us live from Paris. Good to see you, Melissa.

So, what are E.U. foreign minister saying about the rising tensions at Ukraine's border with Russia, and what options are being considered now?

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the big question, Rosemary, will be whether they manage to agree on the roughs of sanctions that Washington are looking for them to agree on, looking for that unity that Antony Blinken has been talking so much about over the course of the last 24 hours.

That is crucial to Washington strategy that European allies should appear firmly on board in being tough with Moscow with regards to Ukraine. As you say, those arrivals have just begun for that meeting of foreign affair ministers. We just heard from the Danish foreign affairs minister meeting with at that -- arriving in that meeting and saying, Rosemary, that he expected the -- that Europe would be tough with regard to those sanctions, and that he thought they would go further than it had in 2014.

But look, the problem with the way Europe approaches Ukraine is not only that NATO has been divided on the question of the stance to adopt towards Russia these last few years, but within Europe the divisions are substantial as well. With Europe's two biggest economies, Germany and France, really fairly hesitant compared to other parts of Europe, those closest to the borders into the Baltic region to get as tough, perhaps, as others would have them.

We know that Germany has been very skeptical with regards to sanctions that would, in a sense, come back to haunt them, looking at the importance of Russia to their economy, looking at the importance of gas supplies as well. Only last week, France's Emmanuel Macron who has now taken the presidency of the European Council, was in front of the European parliament talking about the need for a security pact between Europe and Russia that was independent of negotiations with the United States.

So, those are some of the tensions that exist within Europe with regard to the strategy that should be adopted towards Moscow. So, all eyes very much on what comes out in this meeting and I suspect that Washington is going to be watching as closely as of Moscow, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Yes, there's no doubt at all. Melissa Bell joining us live from Paris, many thanks.

Well, coming up here on CNN Newsroom, anger over COVID restrictions spills out into the streets of Belgium. We will have the latest just ahead. And, it's been two years since China first put Wuhan in lockdown. Now less than two weeks from the Winter Olympic Games, we take a look at what the country is doing to prepare and what's changed since 2020.

[03:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH (on camera): Authorities in Belgium say some 50,000 people demonstrated against COVID restrictions in Brussels Sunday. Clashes between police and protesters lead to at least a dozen arrests and police using tear gas. They also used water cannon, according to authorities, three officers and 12 demonstrators were hospitalized because of their injuries.

Meantime, a COVID outbreak in a Hong Kong community has grown to more than 170 confirmed or preliminary positive cases. Hundreds of people are under a snap lockdown after cases were reported over the weekend.

Kristie Lu Stout is in Hong Kong with all the latest information on the lockdowns there. But first, let's bring in Scott McLean in London with all the latest on the weekend protests across Europe over restrictions and mandates.

So, Scott, what more are you learning about these protests in Belgium, and across other parts of Europe?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Rosemary. Yes, 50,000 protesters in Belgium, and as you mentioned, things got ugly. The police say that some protesters threw heavy objects at them, we're talking about things like garbage cans and cobblestones from the street.

The protesters there are upset over continuing restrictions, COVID restrictions in Belgium. The use of COVID passes, mask requirements for large outdoor gatherings, the list goes on. There were also protests in Paris over the weekend, protesters there demonstrated after a court upheld the legality of France's new COVID pass law, which comes into effect today.

It requires proof of vaccination to access all kinds of everyday things, like regional public transit, bars, restaurants, that kind of a thing. A negative test is no longer enough to avoid vaccination. That is going to make life very, very inconvenient and difficult for the unvaccinated, and it seems to be by design.

[03:39:59] French President Emmanuel Macron has said previously his aim was to piss off the unvaccinated to try to get them to take the shot. Other countries in Europe are going even further. We know Austrian lawmakers have voted to make vaccines mandatory, and the German government, they are looking to start a debate in their parliament to follow suit, potentially.

It's hard to imagine things looking any more different than they do right now, though, across the English Channel. That's because the British government has already said that, mask -- or that masks will no longer be required in school, and that people can go back to their offices.

And later this week, mask mandates across the country will go away, so will the use of COVID passports. They were required only for large events, nightclubs, that kind of a thing. The health secretary says the new mantra is we need to live with COVID like we live with the flu.

And the reason that the government feels like they can do that, Rosemary, is because, well, Omicron cases are coming down sharply. They seem to have peaked, hospitalizations are also coming down, and deaths have flattened as well.

Plus, on top of all that, the government has already convinced almost two thirds of the eligible population to take the booster shot. That is a big head start on the rest of Europe.

CHURCH: All right. And Kristie, what is the latest on a housing stay COVID outbreak, and how is it testing Hong Kong's zero COVID strategy here?

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Rosemary, I'm standing outside the crowded public housing estate in Kwai Chung, it's located in the new territories area of Hong Kong. And this is effectively the epicenter of Hong Kong's Omicron outbreak. On Sunday, the city has reported about 125 new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19, that was the highest daily tally in a year.

Of those new cases, 104 can be linked to the cluster here, and the last five minutes we just heard the Hong Kong government is supporting an additional new 69 locally transmitted cases of the virus linked to the Kwai Chung cluster. A number of residential buildings here are now on the lockdown, two under lockdown seal off for five days, 35,000 residents here ordered to take and undertake mandatory daily COVID-19 testing.

Over the weekend we heard from Hong Kong authorities who described the outbreak here as exponential. I want you to listen to this from Hong Kong's top leader chief executive Carrie Lam.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARRIE LAM, HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE (through translator): We are worried that the exponential growth of cases that we have seen in other parts of the world is now happening in Kwai Chung. (END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT (on camera): As cases rise in Kwai Chung, anger and frustration as well. In fact, when Carrie Lam paid a visit to this very building on Sunday, she was met with angry jeers. Her visit to the site lasted in the end only 15 minutes. Back to you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Scott McLean in London, Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, many thanks to you both.

Well, it has been two years since China took drastic measures in the city of Wuhan to contain the coronavirus outbreak. On January 23rd, 2020, Chinese authorities lock down Wuhan, sealing more than 100 -- more than 11 million residents inside their homes. The 76-day lockdown signaled the central government fear that the virus would spread rapidly.

So, let's take a look at the timeline of how these events unfolded. On December 31st, 2019, China alerts the World Health Organization to cases of, quote, "viral pneumonia," in Wuhan. On January 20th, China confirms person to person spread. Three days later, China locks down millions of people in Wuhan, and within Hubei province.

On February 4th 2020, the city's first makeshift hospital starts to receive patients. Then in mid-March, Wuhan registers zero new COVID-19 cases. A few weeks later, on April 8th, authorities begin allowing people to leave the city officially ending the lockdown.

In the time since, and with less than two weeks to go before the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China is determined, as ever, to stamp out the virus as it prepares to host the upcoming games.

So, CNN's David Culver was there, and he joins me now live from Beijing. None of us can forget your incredible reporting throughout that. And of course, David, let's talk about how China's COVID policies have changed since that massive lockdown of Wuhan at the start of this pandemic two years ago. And what it will mean for Olympic preparations just days away from those Olympics.

DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, we're nearing closer and closer, Rosemary, and as I think back to our time in Wuhan, I believe it was January 22nd, the day before that lockdown, an unprecedented one at that went into place that we did our live report there, our one and only, and it was speaking with you.

[03:44:59]

And then Shortly thereafter, a few hours later, we got the call. Wuhan going on lockdown. And it stays that way for 76 days. As you laid down that timeline, it's important to look at that not so much as a reflection back, but to show us where things have gone since here in China. And one thing has remained, strict policies are in place.

In fact, we can trace zero COVID that policy that China is trying to stick to back to the Wuhan lockdown. And what has taken place since have been really three different pillars of this zero COVID policy. One, you have lockdowns, so not so much citywide ones, though those exist as well. But more so targeted ones.

The isolated ones which they really put focus on certain communities or neighborhoods sealed inside their homes confined there until they are deemed safe to re-enter society. And then the other part of this is the mass testing. You got to remember, early on, they didn't really know what exactly they'd be testing for. So, they didn't really have the test.

Now they have the capability to test tens of millions of people, and we see that entire city populations tested really over just a few days' time. And the last aspect of this is contact tracing, and that's using smartphone technology more than anything else to really monitor our whereabouts. To know if we've come in contact with a confirmed case, and to follow us really throughout the country if we're at potential exposure and possibly transmitting that virus to other people.

So that has been really sophisticated and enhanced over the past several months or so. All of that timing around the Olympics. So, the folks who are coming in, these Olympic arrivals getting a taste of this zero COVID policy, especially if they're coming from countries out west and especially the U.S. where they really are probably not used to these types of measures within the so-called COVID bubble that will be the Olympic bubble, the close loop system as refer to it here.

They are going to have to undergo daily testing. We're already seeing that some cases have surfaced. In fact, six more were added today, a total of 78. Of that number, Rosemary, 43 of those cases were detected upon entry. And they say they're going to continue to monitor those numbers. I think it's fair to say we're going to continue to see more cases come in.

But officials there are determined and saying, hat there is no widespread infection, there is certainly no outbreak within that Olympic bubble, and they consider to be under control.

CHURCH: Yes. As you point out, some of these athletes are coming from around the world are going to be quite shocked by these strict measures in place. David Culver, joining us live from Beijing, many thanks as always.

Well, Taiwan says mainland China sent nearly 40 warplanes into its air defense zone on Sunday. The largest such incursion so far this year. Taiwan's defense ministry says the planes included dozens of fighter jets and a nuclear capable bomber. In response, Taiwan says it deployed air defense missile systems to monitor the situation. Beijing show of force comes one day after the U.S. and Japan conducted naval drills east of Taiwan.

SpaceX's unmanned dragon cargo ship is on its way back to earth after undocking from the International Space Station. The trip originally had to be postponed due to bad weather. The dragon is set to splash down off the coast of Panama City, Florida in the coming hours. Now some of the cargo and experiments on board will be transported to NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Well, the impact of the eruption near Tonga is being felt in South

America as the damage hits the beaches in Peru. The aftermath of an oil spill, that's coming up.

[03:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH (on camera): Much needed outside aid have started arriving in Tonga as the island nation struggles with the aftermath of the recent volcanic eruption and tsunamis. Ash from the January 15th disaster still blankets much of the country. The government estimates around 84 percent of the population was directly impacted, but COVID concerns have complicated relief efforts.

Tonga has only had one case of COVID since the pandemic started and strict restrictions are in place.

Well, part of the damage from the Tongan eruption can be seen thousands of miles away. The cleanup from an oil spill in Peru is underway, and environmental groups warn the damage could be long- lasting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Waves of black sludge washed up on a popular beach in Peru. This time of year, it should be filled with sunbathers. Instead, emergency crews in biohazard suits scoop oily sand into barrels to be transported to toxic waste treatment facilities.

The black and beaches here, yet another casualty of a powerful volcanic eruption under the sea, thousands of kilometers away near Tonga. Peru says a tanker ship spills some 6,000 barrels of oil into the sea more than a week ago, while it was off-loading the crude to our refinery.

Unusually high waves caused by the eruption were to blame for the accident. Repsol, the company that owns the refinery has said it isn't responsible for the spill. And says maritime authorities should've issued warnings about the rough seas. The Peruvian government though says Repsol should pay for the damages.

An environmental emergency is being declared for the next 90 days. So far health officials say 21 of Peru's beaches have been polluted. Dead seals, fish and birds are washing up covered in oil, and fishing activities in the area are being suspended. Local residents say, they too, have been impacted.

"Nothing, nothing is sold," this fish vendor says. The fish more than anything give off the smell of oil, and people don't buy it. Environment groups say that cleaning the beaches with shovel and back at seas is not nearly enough. And the damage to the country's rich marine life could be long-lasting.

Repsol says it has deployed more than 1,300 workers to the area along with large vessels and skimmers to try to filter the oil from the ocean.

[03:54:58]

The United Nations is also sending a team of experts to help with the emergency response, still few who live around here think this will go away soon.

This man says everything is toxic right now. Look at the oil stains on those stones. It's hard to clean them immediately, it will take years. Everything here is polluted. A disaster initially caused by a force of nature, though some say the devastating effects in Peru could have been mitigated.

An investigation is ongoing, many people questioning why the ship was unloading in such conditions. And if there was sufficient warning about the dangers.

Michael Holmes, CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): And on a much lighter note, next time you're checking your e-mail before you empty your spam folder, check it first. A Michigan woman is $3 million richer because she checked hers. Laura Spears purchased a mega millions ticket online through the lottery web site, while searching for an e-mail a few days later, lo and behold, she found the message from the Michigan lottery informing her that she was a winner. Spears says, she plans to share the winnings with her family and retire early. isn't that wonderful.

And finally, it was raining Teddy bears in Pennsylvania last night. Just watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: (Inaudible) set goal line and feed and get it back. All right. circle pulls the trigger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): Fans of the Hershey Bears hockey team tossing more than 52,000 plush toys after they scored their first goal last night. In doing so, they broke their own world record. The toys will be donated to more than 25 local charities. That is wonderful.

Thank you so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones. CNN Newsroom continues now with Isa Soares.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)