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President Donald Trump Faces Backlash After Ousting Another Government Watchdog; Norway Pushes Global Cooperation To Fight Virus; European Union Outlines Efforts To Safely Get Europe Moving Again; Super Cyclone Amphan Heads Towards India And Bangladesh; Maryland Man Makes A Miracle Recovery From Virus. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired May 18, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: One hundred countries are demanding an investigation into how the pandemic started and spread so quickly?
This as Europe slowly emerges from lockdown. I'll speak to the Norwegian Prime Minister about her country's experience. And we will have an update
on a cyclone with winds the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane or super typhoon headed for parts of Asia.
Well, it is all being done virtually but leaders around the world are joining in on the 73rd Annual World Health Assembly and this year all eyes
are on the WHO and China. More than 100 countries are pushing for an independent investigation into the global response to COVID-19.
Now, China has faced some pretty intense scrutiny over its handling of the outbreak but the Chinese President Xi Jinping told the Assembly his country
acted openly and transparently. Let's bring in CNN's Ivan Watson he is live in Hong Kong with more on what's being said during this virtual summit,
Ivan.
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You couldn't have something more important than this kind of summit focusing on the biggest
public health crisis in generations. Of course, this is an annual meeting but nobody can actually go to it because of the threat of travel right now.
So it's been a little spotty with video conferencing and some bumps and snags along the way.
The initial request was for an investigation into the origins of the Coronavirus which was first detected in the Chinese City of Wuhan last
December. The Australians pushed for it. The Chinese absolutely blasted Australia for suggesting this.
In the end more than 100 countries including close Chinese ally Russia signed on to a watered-down version that called for an impartial
independent and comprehensive evaluation of the lessons learned from this terrible pandemic.
And then the Chinese Leader gave his own speech in opening remarks to the Assembly and celebrated what he said was China's in his words honorable
response to this crisis. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
XI JINPING, CHINESE PRESIDENT: All along, we have acted with openness, transparency and a responsibility. We have provided the information to the
WHO and relevant countries in the most timely fashion. We have released the genome sequence at the earliest possible time. We have shared control and
treatment experiences with the world without reservation. We have done everything in our power to support and assist countries in need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: The Director of the World Health Organization in his speech he said that he would welcome and initiate an independent evaluation at the
earliest appropriate moment. Xi Jinping for his part said he would be open to a review if it's science and fact based and only after COVID-19 had been
brought under control, Hala?
GORANI: Yes. This would require cooperation and even access potentially to labs, institutions inside of China. Do authorities - are they signaling
that they'd agree to this?
WATSON: We did not get more specifics. He did talk in specific terms about a $2 billion pledge to help the global fight against COVID-19. He did talk
about the need for unity and support to African states. And those kinds of themes were echoed by other leaders who gave speeches, as well.
Emmanuel Macron of France, Angela Merkel of Germany and another - a number of other heads of state notably absent was a top official from the U.S.
addressing this body and that's another part of this is that the U.S., of course, the Trump Administration, has vowed to withdraw funding from the
WHO.
And the State Department, the U.S. Secretary of State published a statement some hours into this virtual assembly slamming the Head of the WHO saying
that he lacks independence and that he did not allow Taiwan which China refuses to recognize to be an independent state claiming it to be a
breakaway part of China that Taiwan was not invited to this important gathering.
And Taiwan has 23 million citizens and has done quite well battling the coronavirus even though its right next to China where this terrible disease
was first discovered, Hala?
GORANI: Thank you, Ivan Watson. Let's check in with CNN reporters all across the United States now to see how various communities there are
dealing with the Coronavirus. We'll get to Europe in a moment after that but let's start with one of the hardest hit places in America, the home of
the Navajo Nation.
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Sara Sidner in Window Rock, Arizona the tribal headquarters of the Navajo Nation.
[11:05:00]
This nation now has the highest rate of infection per capita for COVID-19 in all of America. But the President of the Navajo Nation says there's a
reason for that. They also have done more testing than any state in the nation with 11 percent of its people tested.
3,900 plus people tested positive for COVID-19 and they have had a spike in deaths this weekend. And so, they also have one of the strictest stay at
home orders, masks are required in public and there's a curfew every night at 8:00, on the weekends especially this week, there was a 57-hour complete
lockdown, no stores open, not even gas stations.
NATASHA CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Natasha Chen in Atlanta. Governor Brian Kemp allowed gyms and fitness centers to reopen more than three weeks
ago but many of those businesses have decided to take it slower. L.A. Fitness says Georgia is one of its' first markets to reopen. All of its
Atlanta locations are offering a staggered start to full services with no group fitness classes until June 1st. Planet fitness opened many of its
locations this past weekend and Atlanta based crunch fitness opened its gyms last week.
SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Sarah Westwood in Washington. Ivanka Trump is expected to join President Trump today in a meeting with members
of the restaurant industry to discuss the impact of Coronavirus.
The meeting is expected to include well-known chefs and restaurant executives as well as members of the independent restaurant coalition, a
group that was formed during the pandemic to advocate for restaurants. And that group has expressed concerns about the Paycheck Protection Act they're
expected to bring this up during the White House meeting.
It also praised the newly passed House Democrats bill the Heroes Act which Trump has already vowed to veto. The meeting comes during a week when Trump
is expected also to speak about the food supply chain on Tuesday.
EVAN MCMORRIS-SANTORO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Evan McMorris-Santoro in Brooklyn. This is Domino Park, a popular spot in the Williamsburg
neighborhood. Authorities were concerned by overcrowding so they created a social distancing scream.
Circles painted on the ground six feet apart keep people divided. Masks are requested and handed out. A steady presence of the New York Police
Department enforces it all. It is a sign that the pandemic story isn't changing that much for this city even as the weather improves. On Sunday
the Mayor Bill De Blasio said all New York City beaches will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
GORANI: All right. That's a clever idea with the circles. Thank you very much for that. There are new concerns today about how the U.S. President
Donald Trump is treating the people tasked with watching over the U.S. government.
On Friday he fired the State Department's Inspector General, the Fifth Government Watchdog to be ousted in recent weeks. CNN's Alex Marquardt is
following that and he joins me now from Washington. Talk to us about the latest dismissal Alex.
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Hala, as you know, this is a disturbing trend and the latest most controversial evidence of that example
of that is Steve Linick as you mentioned. And Hala we've just learned from Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Elliott Engle that Steve
Linick had was wrapping up an investigation into the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expediting arms sales to the tune of $8 billion to Saudi
Arabia.
I want to read you part of the statement that Engle just put out moments ago. I have learned that there may be another reason for Mr. Linick's
firing. His office was investigating at my request Trump's phony declaration of an emergency so he could send weapons to Saudi Arabia. We
don't have the full picture yet but it's troubling. That Secretary Pompeo wanted Mr. Linick pushed out before this work could be completed.
Hala, we also know of another investigation that was in the works, Linick looking into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's use of a political appointee
for personal tasks. Taken altogether the removal of all of these inspectors general, critics of the Trump Administration are calling this an
unprecedented purge of watchdogs.
In just six weeks, a purge, one watchdog removed after the next. In total, five inspectors' generals or officials acting in that role since the
beginning of April all but one dismissed late on a Friday night as the weekend began.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Well, this is new to us and typical of the White House announcing something that is very unsavory. They
would do it late on a Friday night.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: The latest to draw a controversy is the Friday night firing of the State Department's Inspector General, Steve Linick. He had launched an
investigation into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and according to two sources whether Pompeo and his wife had used a politically appointed
staffer for personal tasks including dog walking, picking up dry cleaning and making dinner reservations.
[11:10:00]
MARQUARDT: Linick who had previously issued two reports critical of the State Department also played a small but key role in the impeachment
inquiry? Another likely strike against Linick was that that had been named by Barack Obama, many of whose appointees had been seen by the Trump
Administration as insignificantly loyal and part of the so-called deep state.
White House Economic Adviser Peter Navarro said there's no room for anyone not loyal to the Trump agenda.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER NAVARRO, WHITE HOUSE ECONOMIC ADVISER: I support whatever this President does in terms of his hiring and firing decisions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: Also Friday night the Transportation Department's Acting Inspector General was replaced and a new one nominated. Inspectors General
are vital to keeping agencies and departments in check, watching for wrongdoing and reporting it, oversight that the President has bristled at.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Did I hear the word Inspector General? Really? It's wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: The Former Inspector General for the Intelligence Community Michael Atkinson had taken a whistle-blower complaint about the President
and Ukraine to Congress angering the White House and leading to the impeachment proceedings. Atkinson was fired last month.
Just days before, the Pentagon's Acting Inspector General Glen Fine who was overseeing spending on the Coronavirus response was also removed. And two
weeks ago the officials serving as the watchdog for the Department of Health and Human Services was replaced after investigators found shortages
of testing kits and masks along with delays in Coronavirus test results.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D-NJ): When you fire them with impunity, you are sending a chilling message to every Inspector General of every department
that, in fact, when you step on the administration's toes then you are fired. That cannot stand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: Leading House and Senate Democrats quickly announced an investigation of Steve Linick's firing saying it may be an illegal act of
retaliation. Few Republicans have spoken up. Senator Mitt Romney called it unprecedented and without good cause. Senator Chuck Grassley saying the
President's explanation simply is not sufficient.
President Trump wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the State Department firing. It is vital that I have the fullest confidence in
the appointees serving as Inspectors General. That is no longer the case with regard to this Inspector General. Pelosi responded that the White
House has yet to provide an explanation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PELOSI: The President has the right to fire any federal employee but the fact is if it looks like it's in retaliation for something that the IG, the
Inspector General, is doing that could be unlawful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUARDT: So as you can hear there, Democrats are questioning whether or not the firing of Linick was legal in fact Democrats in both the House and
Senate have launched an investigation and demanded records from the State Department.
We now know that Linick will be replaced at the State Department by Steven Attker. He has served around the world and a number of diplomatic posts as
well as most recently as the Director of Foreign Missions at the State Department.
He's also close to Vice President Mike Pence having worked closely with Pence when Pence was the Governor of Indiana. We have reached out to the
State Department for a request for comment from the Secretary of State. So far Hala, we've not heard back.
GORANI: Thank you, Alex Marquardt, for that important reporting. Now, how's Norway dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic? It has a relatively low number
of deaths, 232 so far. I'll be speaking to the country's Prime Minister after the break.
And the U.K. has added another symptom to its official list of Coronavirus symptoms months after doctors first alerted it. Why so late? We'll be right
back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:15:00]
GORANI: Well, the event was modified obviously. We are in the middle of a Coronavirus outbreak but the pandemic didn't put the brakes on celebrations
in Norway. The country marked its Constitution Day on Sunday. Because of the pandemic, street parades didn't happen off limits. There was a cap on
the size of the crowds.
However, traditional boat parades still went ahead and choirs sang patriotic tunes while practicing social distancing. But on a more somber
note though, Norway has seen about 8200 Coronavirus cases 232 deaths, is the latest figure. Its Prime Minister says the virus cannot be truly beaten
if each country fights it's on its own.
Prime Minister Erna Solberg joins us from Oslo, thank you Prime Minister for being with us. First of all, I mean, relatively speaking, the death
toll in Norway is low. What do you attribute that to?
ERNA SOLBERG, NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think it's two main reasons. Of course, number of people who have been affected has fallen very
rapidly. The second thing is that we've been able to make sure that even though more than half of the deaths are in nursery homes for elderly
people, it still is compared to a lot of other countries we managed to keep the infection in nursery homes smaller than a lot of other countries.
So then since we have not overloaded the hospitals we have been able to give good care to those who have need it. And I think this has given the
effect that there's a low number. If you get an overload on the health system it's very difficult to give people good enough care and good enough
treatment on the way.
GORANI: Yes. But it's - I mean, your lockdown measures were stricter than other Nordic countries including Sweden without getting into really
comparisons between the two countries. You must believe that the right strategy is that when there is an outbreak and if there is another wave,
for instance, locking down is the right strategy.
SOLBERG: Well, what we believe now is that we are so in control of the infections and the reproduction rate is below 1. And we believe that if you
get outbreak we will have more local outbreak and it will be possible to do more specialized lockdowns there.
And of course, do measures like testing more intensively, quarantining and isolating those who are ill and the nearest - the people they met the most.
I think we will be able to cope with that. But we have to be - we have to start early.
That's because if it spreads too widely, that's the difficulty to handle, you know, without having a lockdown like the one we had. But I think we
will be able to do this if we are in control.
GORANI: So, it's interesting because, therefore, a nationwide lockdown, I mean, I guess we have all learned lessons of this pandemic. A nationwide
lockdown in your estimation is less likely but to kind of put out fires where they start in a more localized way might be the way of the future. Is
that how you're - you foresee things developing if there are future outbreaks?
SOLBERG: Yes. That's what we hope for. Because I think most of us are now making a lot of decisions without being very - having enough evidence on
what will be the best strategies. But we have seen that our strategy function when we had a high number of people who were infected. I think we
were listed as number four in the world in the beginning of this period because we had holidays, winter holidays in Austria and Northern Italy
people.
[11:20:00]
SOLBERG: We have got a lot of people who came back and had caught the disease. But because we did react quite firmly we managed to put it down.
But we hope we will be able to not disturb our economy and the everyday life of people in the whole of the country if we get local outbreaks. But
we are all working, you know, without being sure of how this disease will develop.
GORANI: How much is this impacting the economy of Norway? Can you put a - can you quantify it? I mean, how much has this impacted the growth numbers
for the Norwegian economy so far?
SOLBERG: Well, we have an estimate fall of 4 percent gross domestic product now which is - of course after never been after the Second World War in a
situation like this in Norway before. We hope that because we have been able to open small businesses, things have closed down like hairdressers
and others that we will get that turned around quite rapidly.
But of course for oil producing country like Norway the fact that the oil and gas prices are low, that there is two different aspects of that. One is
the virus that the lack age of demand for oil and gas products the other one is of course that we've had a dispute about oil pricings that started
off making the oil price fall very early.
GORANI: Let me ask you about these calls for a probe of the World Health Organization, to look into the COVID response. Do you support this
initiative? When do you think that an investigation should happen here?
SOLBERG: Well, we believe that we always should investigate what we have been doing. We should have a careful testing of whether our response was
the right one on a national level but also on the international level.
After the Ebola crisis we were - Norway and Germany and Ghana called for an international assessment of what had happened and why the international
community reacted so slowly? And we had this big report made in the U.N. We still believe it's important that we always evaluate.
We've already put down the investigating commission in Norway to follow what we've been doing and to make sure that there are lessons learned by
it. There are always lessons to learn in any crisis we have.
And we should have an open mind on this, not targeting persons or single organizations, but knowing how do we respond to this and what can we learn
from it? But we firmly in Norway believe that we should have an international cooperation on international health, the pandemic shows us
that.
GORANI: Yes.
SOLBERG: We are in it together.
GORANI: Quick last one on these travel restrictions because I note that the travel restrictions for Norway are meant to last until August 20th. I mean,
does that mean that you would discourage people from traveling to Norway until then? That you would discourage Norwegians from leaving the country
until then?
SOLBERG: What we have said is that we discourage people to leave Norway and we have - if you don't have a work reason to go come to Norway you will be
sent back when you arrive to Norway these days. Then we have said that we'll look at careful lifting of this meaning the Nordic countries the
first.
Other European countries afterwards and then hopefully we can lift the restrictions earlier on but it depends on how the disease is developing and
we still have to take care that we don't import more infections and make sure that we still can handle the disease.
GORANI: All right. Yes. We are seeing that a lot, countries kind of figuring out geographically how to open up first region by region and then
hopefully we could see the borders open up in the way that they were before? Thank you so much, the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg.
Appreciate having you on the program.
SOLBERG: Thank you.
GORANI: When countries locked down this earlier this year and travel to a halt, it left people stranded all over the world and that includes dozens
of babies who were born to surrogate mothers in Ukraine. Matthew Chance has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOEL LEINEKE, FATHER: So this is my daughter. She is a little tired at the moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Amid the lockdown, a family united one American dad getting into Ukraine just to hold his newborn daughter. She is
a very lucky girl, indeed.
[11:25:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: When you saw her for the first time, what was going through your mind? What were your feelings?
LEINEKE: At the same time I was elated to see her, I was also just - my heart was broken, right, that I was only one there by myself and that my
wife wasn't able to be in the delivery room and just - it was both. It was really mixed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: Mixed but relieved because dozens just like Ember - born amid the pandemic in Ukraine to surrogate mothers reminded stranded marooned in a
screaming lockdown. CNN gained access to just one facility in Kyiv where tight Coronavirus restrictions mean more than 50 babies here can't be
collected by their legal parents mostly locked down themselves in Europe and the United States.
Some parents have waited 15 years for this dream to come true, the owner tells CNN. One couple of 55 years old, another has tried 36 times for a
baby he says. They can't wait any longer. Ukrainian officials say they're trying to speed up access to foreign parents but the pandemic means the
country's borders are sealed. Special permits are a bureaucratic nightmare.
For Ember - mom, Michelle, watching this remote with two other kids in California even the thought of being unable to reach a child in another
country is agonizing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: What must their parents be going through now, parents who can't get to their children?
MICHELLE LEINEKE, MOTHER: I can't even imagine not being able to be there. We have - before we were able to get there and for me it was mind numbing
to know that somebody that we don't even know would be taking care of our daughter.
Luckily we were able to find a way but other people because their countries aren't allowing them to travel into another country are not being allowed
in. So - if we found a way and lucky but others aren't so lucky and I'm sure they're just devastated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: At the moment Ukrainian officials say around 100 babies born to surrogates are stuck in clinics like this one around the country. But
pregnancies are in progress and they say numbers could soon rise to 1,000 if borders stay closed.
The longer the lockdown, the more Ember - with more where to go. Now there's growing criticism in Ukraine because of these stranded babies of
commercial surrogacy in the country. The human rights - has called it a massive and systemic problem and could be curbed in the future. But for the
moment the focus is on trying to get the babies already born united with their legal parents. Matthew Chance, CNN, London.
GORANI: Hospital workers in Belgium gave the Prime Minister a very frosty reception when Sofia Wilma visited their hospital in Brussels on Saturday.
The staff lined up outside and when the car drove by they turned their backs. Representatives for workers say they're upset with the government's
handling of the COVID outbreak and health care overall including budget cuts, personnel shortages and low salaries.
Coming up, world leaders are calling for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. We'll look at what that means for China and the rest of the
world. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
GORANI: Well Europeans are back to enjoying some of life's simple pleasures as restrictions ease across the continent and Paris for instance people
were walking in the sun and getting some fresh air finally. On the first weekend of reopening across France to the East the Czech Republic has
lifted its state of emergency but some restrictions like boarder controls will remain in place.
And in Greece hundreds of archeological sites are reopening for visitors including the - in Athens. And Italians are back in shops, restaurants and
churches today after a long and very strict lockdown.
As Europe begins to emerge from these strict lockdown the E.U. leaders are juggling new guidelines on border crossings public health and an economic
come back. The European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson says all of those efforts will take some very serious coordination.
YLVA JOHANSSON, EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR HOME AFFAIRS: Luckily, the situation is increasing in all member states but still it's the severe
situation. But now member states are in a phase of slowly step by step lifting restrictions and are also lifting border controls inside European
Union and that's why we have produced guidelines to help member states to do that in a coordinated way.
GORANI: And what are they?
JOHANSSON: It's the one - when it comes to border I think the most important thing is that we have to always to look at the epidemiological
situation and to be aware that we should do things step by step but it's also very important to make sure that all measures are nondiscriminatory so
that all citizens in European Union are being treated the same way.
GORANI: Are you in favor of having so-called travel corridors, travel bubbles, where one or two or three countries like the Baltic states get
together, decide that their case levels are similar and so they would not restrict travel within that bubble but restrict it from outside of that
corridor? Do you think that's a good idea?
JOHANSSON: Yes, that's actually what we proposed is that when there are similar epidemiological situation on both side of the border then the
border should be open. But what is important is that when a border is open it's open for all E.U. citizens, not only for those that are citizens in a
specific member state.
GORANI: Potentially could take months, maybe even years for all the members of the European Union to have the same case load and case numbers. Are you
worried that could be an existential threat for the E.U.?
JOHANSSON: No. I'm not. I saw that when member states introduced this travel restriction and border checks that they did it in an uncoordinated
manner and that caused a lot of chaos. It was a little bit like when individuals rush to the grocery store and bought a lot of toilet paper and
pastas and got home and locked the doors.
This is not a way forward and very soon they realized that we need each other, we need to cooperate and that's why member states have asked the
commission to produce these guidelines and we have done it together with the member states.
So I see a strong willingness now to open up and come back to full functioning thing in area and free movements again. I think sometimes
people do not realize what they miss before it's gone and I think that Europeans really like the free movement.
GORANI: The Ylva Johansson is the Home Affairs Commissioner for the E.U. In the United States, the top health official there is blasting the WHO and
also taking veiled shots at China sort of echoing what we have heard from the administration for several months now.
[11:35:00]
GORANI: Speaking to the World Health Assembly the U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar didn't name China specifically but said one member of the WHO had
attempted to conceal the extent of the outbreak. Azar also said World Health Organization officials had failed in their core vision to obtain the
information necessary to keep the world healthy.
This is something we've heard from the U.S. President and others blaming entities and countries outside of the U.S. for the pandemic. Countries have
been discussing steps forward, vaccines even a global inquiry into the Coronavirus pandemic response and Nic Robertson is with me now from London
with more.
So, where - I mean, obviously, they're having to meet virtually and world leaders are getting together to talk about this. We are still kind of in
the middle of the pandemic and two or three very high level officials I spoke to today all agreed that this should be done in earnest after the
pandemic has passed. But there is a desire to get to the bottom of how the pandemic started and why it spread so quickly in case there's another wave?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: And part of the method that sort of seems to have the sort of support of the majority of members
under - so far by this resolution that's been crafted by the European Union is to not single out one particular country but say underneath the WHO's
umbrella let's examine how everyone did and let's see what lessons can be learned?
And I think it's very instructive when we listen to the comments coming from the U.S. Representative to hear some of the comments that we have
heard from some of the Europeans and some of the others.
You know? Have also been slightly veiled criticisms of the United States Angela Merkel, for example, saying we can't fight the pandemic alone?
Emmanuel Macron, the French President, saying, you know, no one country can have the writ over a vaccine.
Obviously he's been through issues in France with French companies and the United States on producing vaccines. We heard from the Swiss President
saying that you can't expect great things from the WHO in essence if you're hit and miss on the funding and I think that's a direct reference to
President Trump saying that he will stop the U.S. funding of the WHO
And Antonio Gutierrez the U.N. Secretary-General been very clear, we need to be united. This is the time of unity. So you know the United States is
in one corner with one message. China is defending itself from the other corner saying essentially don't blame us. We were very helpful and will
give money for funding forward for fighting the pandemic.
But you know the center ground if you will seem to be occupied by everyone saying we need to work together. The moment isn't now but we do need to do
it.
GORANI: Well, there are disagreements. China's coming out saying we have been transparent and open from the beginning and an order for this
investigation or this inquiry to produce results that are actionable there needs to be cooperation between different countries and China and others
need to be able to open labs or give access. Is there any possibility, any chance that this stage that that might happen?
ROBERTSON: You know, I think that's the intent. Look. If you're - whether you're sitting in Paris or Brussels or Berlin or London or San Francisco,
whatever, whatever city you're in at the moment, you clearly feel that this virus came from China; China didn't provide its own people with adequate
information.
Didn't provide the world with timely information and that cannot happen again. But I think the way that WHO is doing this, criticize all for being
too soft or too China centric is to find a language that China can accept for this investigation.
And we do seem to be at a place where that language is acceptable because it's not singling out China. It is saying let's look at what everyone did
and I don't think there's a lack of desire to hold china to a better standard than what it held itself to recently over the past few months.
And there is evidence if you go back with the WHO that they have been able to change China's approach, but, you know, is it going to take economic
pressure on China to achieve this as the United States direction wants to go in? Or will China accept that it's part of the world community and if it
is then it has to have a joined up commitment to be transparent with the world community.
[11:40:00]
ROBERTSON: And it is not clear where China is going on that.
GORANI: All right. Nic Robertson thanks very much. The U.K. government is aiming to distribute 30 million doses of a Coronavirus vaccine by - wait
for the date - September. We have been told by experts that we'd be lucky to get a vaccine at the beginning of next year.
Now the U.K. is dumping an additional $100 million into vaccine research at two leading British Universities. The U.K. has seen nearly 245,000 cases
overall, more than 34,000 deaths, that's the highest in Europe. But one professor tracking the outbreak here says the government could be missing
up to 70,000 more cases so that figure could actually be lower than we'll end up being made clear.
Mainly due to a lag in the list of symptoms associated with Coronavirus. Just today the Department of Health added a loss of sense of smell to the
list and that's months after doctors first reported those symptoms.
Joining me now is CNN's Max Foster with more on that. So, talk to us a little bit about adding this symptom so late in the game because the loss
of sense of taste and smell, we've been discussing this for months now, Max.
MAX FOSTER, CNN LONDON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they've added smell and taste to the list of symptoms so the main ones where obviously been persistent cough
and fever and now smell and taste. Obviously the British government has been under a lot of pressure to increase the amount of tests that are being
done in the U.K.
They do have the tests but they're not actually being put to people and part of the issue is that there aren't enough people to test because they
kept it small restrictions so they widened the number of people that could be tested. This now will be included in that so that more people will be
reporting symptoms as a result of this.
But also today they've announced that all over fives with symptoms will be allowed to tested they'll receive a test. So they're going to get the test
numbers up and this is part of a much wider strategy to try to get in control of this virus.
They also announced over the weekend that they hired 17,000 contact tracers whose job it will be contacting people who have been in contact themselves
with people who have had the virus. So trying to monitor and track it all a bit late as you're suggesting, Hala, but at least they're getting on top of
it according to government critics.
GORANI: Right. Well, I mean, they're still not testing as many people as they promised. I guess the question on people's minds that live in the U.K.
is are we going to see a phase two lifting of the lockdown in a week or so? Because even though there might be an underestimation of COVID cases, the
trend is still - I mean, the number, the curve is still going down. So is that the expectation?
FOSTER: Yes. There's a - these numbers you are talking about there is a lag on them so the total going up all the time but actually of the cases they
know about they're stabilizing and coming down, hospital admissions, for example, in the field hospital set up in London, for example, hospital
isn't been used at all.
And so at the moment it does appears that the infection rate is stabilizing and that allows the government to go into phase two which is next month
where schools and shops will start reopening. And that's why they wanted these contact tracers in place, as well ready for the end of the month.
So the moment it looks as though things will be lifted but of course Boris Johnson making very clear that if there's any sharp rise in the infection
rate he'll pull start pulling back on the lockdown. Because his big concern is the second wave, he thinks that will cause most damage to the economy.
Also lots of talk about vaccines I know you were talking earlier to Nic about that but there's a huge amount of hope put into these two vaccines
programs at least, one at Oxford, one in London where you are although this extraordinary September date that they've given to produce 30 million doses
of the drug does seem very, very ambitious looking at the normal timeline of drugs getting in place.
But what they're really saying there is they've got to deal with Astraca Zeneca the drug company and they will be able to produce the drugs in those
numbers if all the approvals have been ticked off as it were in this process. But, you know, getting a vaccine at all is going to be the
challenge let alone producing it.
GORANI: All right. Well, thank you very much, Max. I don't know when I'll see you again in person but it's nice to see on air anyway. Thank you very
much.
Coming up, a super cyclone is making the way toward the India/Bangladesh border. We'll track the storm and we'll show you who is in its path coming
up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
GORANI: India and Bangladesh are already suffering with the effects of Coronavirus. Now a super cyclone is headed their way. We're continuing to
monitor the tropical cyclone called Amphan which is formed in the Bay of Bengal. Let's get to our Meteorologist Chad Meyers for more details. Am I
pronouncing this correctly, Amphan?
CHAD MEYERS, CNN METEORLOGIST: The World Meteorological Organization put out the pronunciation as Amphan. I don't know how you get Amphan from
Amphan but that's where they're going with it, Amphan, so close enough. We're going to get it.
This is a 270 km/hr storm Hala, this is a very deadly soon to be and dangerous storm for a very vulnerable area of the world. Bangladesh,
Eastern India but can you imagine what would happen if this makes landfall? This is equivalent of category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean, 165 miles
per hour 270 KPH.
And this is not getting any weaker yet. In fact, even went up a little bit. National Hurricane Center here in Typhoon Warning Center saying that this
very well may be the strongest storm that they've ever see in the Bay of Bengal northern Indian Ocean since we have had satellites.
We don't really know because we're not going to fly into the storm system but it's going to make landfall as it moves to the north into the
Bangladesh area. Think about the population of Bangladesh, everywhere that's red, 1,500 or more people per square kilometer.
Many of this land, much of this land aren't even above two or three meters top above sea level. And we're going to see a 5-meter wave, an f-meter
storm surge move into the area. And so people are going to try to get out of the way. How do you get out of the way and get to a cyclone shelter and
still try to self distance yourself from everyone else?
That's also trying to pack into the same place. Millions and millions of people are going to be facing this, a 5-meter or more storm surge and awful
lot of rainfall trying to come back down here and just significant flooding. If this doesn't get any smaller or weaker before it makes
landfall, there won't be another word other than devastating for the people here.
So we're hoping that it does kind of mix up the water a little bit, lowers the intensity a little bit. Even the forecast of 200 KPH is better than
270. Certainly one of the strongest storm we have ever seen in this area since satellites - certainly this thing has been hit area has hit harder
storms but not that we know of, not that we have records of this. This is a very, very big one, a very potentially deadly storm.
GORANI: All right. Thanks very much, Chad Meyers with more on tropical storm Amphan there heads towards an already vulnerable area. Coming up will
meet an American COVID patient who has been called a miracle man, his trip from the brink of death to a full recovery after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
GORANI: From football to golf, professional sports shut down by the pandemic are slowly coming back. In Germany, the Bundesliga held its first
few matches over the weekend. No fans in attendance, though, so it was oddly silent when goals were scored.
In the U.S. NASCAR held its first race since the season was suspended. Driver Kevin Harvick came out on top. He earned his 50th cup series victory
and a charity golf match in Florida helped raise millions for pandemic relief. Rory McLlroy and Dustin Johnson won the event which was held a
month before the PGA tour resumes.
A man in the United States is home after battling Coronavirus for nearly a month in intensive care. Now he is sharing the story of the remarkable
recovery. CNN's Miguel Marquez reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN SWINK, RECOVERING FROM COVID-19: I'm a miracle, yes. A lot of people in the hospital call me medical miracle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: 18 days on a ventilator. Nearly 30 days in the ICU.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SWINK: I'll take this syringe here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Three times intubated, a tracheotomy, the throat healing, still eats through a tube.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SWINK: Right here is my stomach tube.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: At the worst his heart nearly stopped beating, the miracle? He's alive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Is there a point where you realized this may be it?
SWINK: There was a point where it hurt to take even one breath. And I did actually at one time just want to die. But then I heard a voice in my head
that said you're being selfish.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Selfish because he thought he'd mar graduation for a daughter and a birthday for another. He had a wife, two parents, a church and friends
that loved him. He also had a team of doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists caring and pulling for him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID GOLDSBOROUGH, RESPIRATORY THERAPIST, MEDSTAR FRANKLIN SQUARE MEDICAL CENTER: The whole time that he was here, you know, I don't know if our
patients can hear us or if he heard it but I used to tell him don't give up. I don't know if he heard that. I would like to know if he heard me
saying that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Kevin says he does remember that. He wasn't sure if he imagined it but he remembers it and a nurse named Beth.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SWINK: She's the one that comes up and told me, you know? I was there the night you almost died. And, you know, I'm like, I knew nothing about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: COVID-19 keeps patients like Kevin sedated and separated from loved ones, medical staff wear masks and gowns, hard to know who's who.
Beth was in the room on his worst day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETH GELSTON, REGISTERED NURSE, MEDSTAR FRANKLIN SQUARE MEDICAL CENTER: He started to crash.
MARQUEZ: This is when the heart nearly stopped?
GELSTON: It did. So I was caring for him that day and in the room with him while all of this was happening and when I saw him on the day that he left
the hospital, I told him that. I told him that he almost died. I thought he was going to die and I just am so thoughtful that he didn't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Kevin Swink now an inspiration for the staff that saved him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: How do you cope with patients as sick as Kevin?
ARIEL NICKERSON, REGISTERED NURSE, MEDSTAR FRANKLIN SQUARE MEDICAL CENTER: In the beginning of all this it definitely wasn't easy and a lot of us left
in tears a lot of the time. But I really believed that we've become together as such a support for each other and also seeing people improve
its helped like, the fact that Kevin is home and doing so much better, it helps, it really helps us to know that we're making this much of an impact.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:55:00]
MARQUEZ: Kevin Swink not typical in another way, 50 years old, no underlying medical conditions, healthy. Another COVID-19 mystery, some for
reasons still not understood get deathly ill while others barely know they have it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. MIMI NOVELLO, VP MEDICAL AFFAIRS & CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, MEDSTAR FRANKLIN SQUARE MEDICAL CENTER: It is very confusing to us and, you know, I
think there are people that are looking into why that might be. You know? Could it be related to genetics? Could it be related to the viral load or
the amount of virus that the person's exposed to?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Kevin's recovery as mysterious as the illness. His father also tested positive and may not recover. Other family members got it, too, and
were barely affected.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SWINK: It just blindsided me. I didn't think I would get it. I didn't think there was a possibility or anything like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: When he was discharged his church organized a drive-by parade. Kevin will see graduations and birthdays, he is looking forward to solid
food. A double portion of Maryland crab cakes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: How sweet is life?
SWINK: Nice. Very sweet. Very sweet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Miguel Marquez, CNN, Baltimore, Maryland.
GORANI: So incredible about this illness. You can go from not knowing you have it to spending a month in ICU, unbelievable and good for him that he
made a full recovery. And speaking of recoveries, a 104-year-old woman, 104-year-old woman in Central Italy has recovered from COVID.
The Governor of the region made the announcement on Twitter Sunday congratulating her and thanking health care workers, the announcement on
the heels of Italy reporting its lowest daily increase in deaths in more than ten weeks on Sunday.
All right. Well, good for her, as well. Thanks for watching. I'm Hala Gorani. I'll see you on other side of the break. Stay with us. You're
watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
