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100 People Being Tracked for Ebola; Interview with Rear Admiral John Kirby; Interview with Zachary Thompson

Aired October 03, 2014 - 08:00   ET

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

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CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news, another American infected with Ebola, a freelance cameraman working in Liberia, now heading to the U.S. for treatment as we learn more about the man diagnosed with the deadly virus in the U.S. and the missteps that led to him being sent home. Did that man mislead officials to get back into the U.S.?

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: City on edge. Dallas officials trying to track down as many as 100 people who may have come in contact with that Ebola patient. Is there enough being done to help the people who are now quarantined in the apartment where he first showed symptoms? We'll get the answers.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And huge cyber attack. This security breach could be the biggest in history -- hackers compromising the accounts of 76 million households, 7 million small businesses. JPMorgan Chase now scrambling to contain the fallout.

CUOMO: Your NEW DAY continues right now.

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ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan and Michaela Pereira.

CUOMO: Good morning.

PEREIRA: Good morning indeed. And welcome to Friday. Welcome back to NEW DAY. It is the third day of October, 8:00 in the East.

Texas health officials are now tracking 100 people who may have had contact directly or indirectly with the Ebola patient in that state, Thomas Duncan of Liberia. He's being treated in isolation at a Dallas hospital.

Authorities meanwhile in Monrovia, Liberia, they plan to prosecute him, if and when he returns back to that nation, because they say he lied when he told officials that he had not ever come in contact with an infected person with Ebola.

There's also new information this morning about a freelance cameraman for NBC who tested positive for Ebola in Liberia. He will be flown back to the U.S. for treatment.

Is that the right move?

We'll get insight on the American response from Pentagon press secretary, Rear Admiral John Kirby in just a moment.

But we want to begin with our colleague, chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

And, Sanjay, I know you've been speaking with NBC about this reporter who was working with the cameraman who got sick. Tell us more.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Dr. Nancy Snyderman is a correspondent, one of my colleagues, who's out there in Monrovia right now. She says they're not sure that exactly how he got exposed, although he just joined as a freelancer NBC on Tuesday and it was the next day Wednesday when he started to feel feverish and subsequently got his temperature checked and that prompted this Ebola test.

They had been working together for at least a few hours after he started to become feeling unwell, so that's why Nancy and her crew are all going to be quarantined as well once they return back to the United States. They're not coming back on a commercial plane, by the way. They're coming back and quarantined for 21 days.

That's what we're learning about them. We're also getting more details about Mr. Duncan and what's been happening with his family as well over the last day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA (voice-over): Health officials now looking at 100 people in the Dallas area, who may have had contact with Thomas Eric Duncan.

DR. THOMAS FRIEDEN, CDC DIRECTOR: There could be additional cases who were already exposed. If that occurs, systems are in place so that they will not further spread Ebola.

GUPTA: As officials work to contain the spread of the virus, many are questioning, how did it get here?

In Liberia, Duncan came into contact with an infected woman on September 15th. Four days later, the 42-year-old was screened three times and showed no symptoms, and was therefore permitted to board an airplane.

But Liberian authorities now say Duncan lied about his Ebola exposure on a health questionnaire. He was asked if he cared for or came into contact with an Ebola patient, and he answered no.

Duncan flew from Monrovia to Brussels. Then boarded United Airlines flight 951 en route to Washington, connecting to Flight 822 to Dallas.

While the CDC maintains he was not contagious during his journey, United Airlines now voluntarily contacting passengers who flew on those flights. In Dallas, Duncan stayed in this apartment complex for days before

feeling sick and seeking medical care, only to be sent home from the hospital with antibiotics even after telling them he had just travelled from Africa.

The hospital now admits they missed his travel history due to a workflow breakdown. Duncan was with his girlfriend, Louise, her child, and her two nephews.

Louise, speaking exclusively to CNN's Anderson Cooper, recalls her fear when the family needed to be quarantined.

LOUISE, GIRLFRIEND OF U.S. EBOLA PATIENT: They were going to be monitoring all of us, my son should stay home, my nephew, everyone should stay home for 21 days. And we should not come outside. If we step outside, then they're going to take us to court. Then we will have committed a crime.

GUPTA: Health officials say the family hasn't shown any symptoms of the disease. Late Thursday, a special team was deployed to clean the apartment, and remove items Duncan used, but they were turned away, because they lacked the proper permit to transport hazardous waste.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Did the CDC recommend that you clean your apartment?

LOUISE: I told them, I said I put the Clorox on the mattresses on my bed. And outside Eric's dirty clothes are in a plastic bag all sealed up and that's it.

COOPER: How are you coping with this?

LOUISE: I'm just hanging in there, depending on God to save our lives.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: Some of the details just extraordinary, when you put it in the context, Chris, of the fact the CDC has had months to plan for this. What happened over this past week this patient arriving here and being diagnosed this was not unexpected, Chris.

CUOMO: I hear you, Sanjay, and it's difficult to look at what's happening in Texas right now, which is a test case for the United States and see it is proof systems are in place the way Dr. Frieden at the CDC suggests so, and it should not come down to God to save you from Ebola in the United States of America.

Sanjay, thank you very much. We'll stay with you.

Now, another front in the battle against Ebola is of course how you deal with containment in Africa. So, the Defense Department is increasing the number of troops it's sending to West Africa to fight the outbreak there. But can they be kept safe? That's the big concern. And is this really America's battle to fight?

Let's bring in Pentagon press secretary, Rear Admiral John Kirby.

I think the answer to the second question, Admiral -- thank you for being on NEW DAY -- is pretty obvious. The answer to the second question is pretty obvious, yes, it is America's fight, it's everybody's fight. It seems a little disproportionate right now, not seeing the World Health Organization and European partners stepping up but you endorsed the idea to take on the mission of going to West Africa and how do you see that mission?

REAR ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: We absolutely see the importance of this mission for our troops for the military to contribute to this effort. I want to stress that we aren't the lead agency for the federal government. We are very much in support of CDC and USAID.

We've got a little bit more than 200 troops down there now. We're probably going to fly in about 1,500, 1,700, more -- I mean, actually, I'm sorry, we could get up to 3,000 by the time it's all over but there's about 200 on the ground now.

Our main focus of the effort really are in four things: command and control, logistics training and engineering support. We're not going to be treating patients. The troops are not equipped to do that. That's not their job. But we are going to be trying to help establish the infrastructure -- health facilities, emergency treatment units, that kind of thing -- so that the health care workers can do their jobs.

CUOMO: I get why you're emphasizing they're not providing direct care because, obviously, the concern with sending the troops there is exposure. For whatever reason, we haven't worked on vaccines, people in the military, whether you're aware or not are highly vaccinated and immunized -- can't do that with Ebola.

So, what do you do to keep your men and women safe there, and God forbid any get exposed and become sick about how they get back home?

KIRBY: It's a great question, Chris. We're taking a before, during and after approach to this. So, before they go they're getting trained. They're getting trained on all manner of things going into West Africa, but they're specifically getting trained on Ebola.

Because these are not medical health care workers inside the military. They're engineers, logisticians, they're Seabees. They don't know that much about it.

So, we're going to get them trained on there, they're going to get issued whatever protective equipment they might need, should they be in areas where they could face exposure.

During their mission, they're going to have access to the military medical health facilities that we're going to help build down there, so they'll have access to health care while they're in country. They're also going to get constantly and frequently screened while they're there. So we're constantly checking them for symptoms and their health, make sure they're OK. We would do that anyway. Certainly we're going to do it there.

After they get home, there's another screening process put in place where they are constantly monitored for a period of time and we're still working out the details for if they show any symptoms.

Now, if the worst should happen and while they're there one of them is getting exposed, we've got protocols in place, we got assets ready, we'll get them out of the country and we'll get them out of there quickly, safely, with all the medical attention that they could possibly need.

But we're well aware of the risk here and taking every measure we can to try to mitigate that risk.

CUOMO: And I trust that if God forbid, something happens, if a man or woman gets sick there, the military is prepared to do better than just locking them in an apartment until they pass the period of diagnosis.

KIRBY: We'll do everything we need to make sure our troops have the medical care that they need and their families get the support they need as well.

CUOMO: All right. So, least we forget, Admiral, there is a war going on as well and not just the war against Ebola. The reports are menacing about how ISIS is advancing. Is that accurate? Do you believe they are advancing or do you believe they are being held in check?

KIRBY: I think it's a mixed picture, Chris. Yes, they are certainly advancing in some areas. We've seen them active in Anbar province. We know they're pushing -- continuing to put pressure on the town in Kobani that you guys have been covering so well.

Clearly, they have desires and capability to advance in some places. But in other places they aren't moving in any great speed or any significant fashion. They are being held in check by Iraqi security forces and Kurdish forces.

Again, it's a mixed picture like most combat areas are mixed pictures. We know that we're putting great pressure on them from the air, that through the airstrikes, well over 330 total now in the operation that we've impeded their ability to move. We've changed the way they operate. We certainly helped restrict their communications and their ability to coordinate with one another.

We know we're putting a crimp on them, but we've also been very honest, and, you know, Chris, we've talked about this. It's going to take time. And it's not gong to be done through air strikes alone.

CUOMO: Absolutely, that's why the Turks figure so largely with the recent commitment to put ground troops in -- the faster that happens the better. Communication on the ground and all of the necessary ground elements come into place that way -- certainly, they're not in place now.

Admiral, thank you very much for joining us. Two very important issues facing you today.

KIRBY: Great to be with you. Thank you.

CUOMO: Oh, yes.

A lot of other news as well, let's get right to John.

BERMAN: Thanks so much, Chris.

Another huge cyber security breach this one affecting tens of millions of customers of banking giant JPMorgan Chase. The company says the accounts of some 76 million personal customers and 7 million small businesses were compromised in this attack. Now, the officials insist there's no evidence that personal account information was stolen by hackers, still though a big, big security break-in.

Breaking this morning, ISIS has now entered the key city of Kobani. That's on the border between Syria and Turkey. They now control the southwest corner of that city.

Kurdish fighters are trying to push them back, this after Turkey voted to authorize military action against ISIS both in Iraq and Syria. Australia also joining the U.S.-led coalition with strikes now in Iraq.

This is an interesting development -- the White House easing an arms embargo on Vietnam that has been in place for nearly four decades. The move announced Thursday by leaders from both countries only applies to maritime surveillance and security-related systems. It seems to be designed to help Vietnam contend with possible aggression from China. The State Department also said it's easing the arms ban because of the relatively modest improvements in Vietnam's human rights record.

Look at this wild high-speed chase out of Southern California. Police say the man behind the wheel, 53-year-old Steven Bartlett, was wanted for a series of bank robberies in Orange County in Santa Barbara. During the pursuit which was about 90 minutes, went over four counties, Bartlett hit another car head-on and drove the wrong way on Freeway 215, before pulling a U-turn. The incident ended when he lost control and went barreling down an embankment.

PEREIRA: I do not miss that sight, all too familiar covering the news in Los Angeles sadly.

CUOMO: Nobody seriously hurt from the situation. It is fair to say getaway vehicles not at the top of the list, flatbed trucks.

PEREIRA: Or tow trucks or any big hauler.

CUOMO: Luckily he picked one because he was more easily captured.

PEREIRA: All right. From that, let us turn to weather, going into the weekend, but not without some thundershowers for some areas.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's been brutal. And everyone knows that traveling yesterday, you're talking about

Chicago, Dallas, these major hubs yesterday had a severe line of storms making its way through and this morning, we're still watching that exact same system. Look at the lightning we have continuing to really develop here.

So, what are we looking today? Today the hot spot around the Ohio Valley but anywhere from the Ohio Valley straight down through the gulf you are starting to see more of these showers. Keep in mind as we go through tomorrow, same system. It is still here, guys, except we'll see the emphasis around the northeast, we'll start to get about an inch or two of rain, a soggy weekend will be out there.

Other side of it, you may or may not like depending on who you are, but the first snow flurries will be out there for the Upper Midwest. Yes, the cold air is definitely moved in, and even if you're not getting the snow you're going to feel the chill. There's a huge difference out there this weekend for so many of you.

Chicago, talking about highs -- highs in the 40s. That is a big change and any of that cool air is going to be pushing off into the Northeast as well. Keep in mind highs maybe in the 40s, talk about morning lows down to the 30s in through Chicago.

By the way, if you're in the Northeast, that also means about 25- degree temperature difference from last weekend. So, that's not exactly gradual. I have to defend myself somewhere.

(LAUGHTER)

PEREIRA: The clock changed to fall.

BERMAN: No one saw fall coming.

PEREIRA: No.

PETERSONS: Twenty-five in one week, that's still be windy (ph). I'm just saying.

PEREIRA: For the Midwest.

CUOMO: I think what John is touching on you do seem a little shocked by seasonal change.

PETERSONS: Always. It's only year two, guys and last year that was rough, for the record.

PEREIRA: We'll walk you through it this year.

CUOMO: The seasons existed while you were in California.

PETERSONS: Not for me.

CUOMO: Science.

PEREIRA: All right. From science to Dallas, where we know that city is certainly on high alert right now, concern growing about the potential spread of Ebola at other public areas and schools. We're going to talk with the health director of Dallas County about the situation on the ground in his city.

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CUOMO: Welcome back to NEW DAY.

One of the tasks is to put the Ebola threat in perspective. Right now, there is no outbreak anywhere in the United States, certainly not in Dallas. Thomas Eric Duncan is in isolation, and his family is under quarantine and not yet showing any symptoms. Those are the facts. However, it's not stopping the concern about how the situation's being handled and what could it lead to?

CNN's Martin Savidge reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Dallas, there is no sign Ebola is spreading, but the fear of Ebola definitely is.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay with CBS 11 for continuing coverage of Ebola --

SAVIDGE: The first case of Ebola in America dominates on TV, on radio.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Government and health officials in Dallas are trying to reassure the public that --

SAVIDGE: And online. Everyone in Dallas better get to their nearest hospital and quick. I don't care if you feel fine, I want this thing contained.

News that several children had been in contact with the Ebola victim and attended area schools has frightened many parents.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm heading towards not letting him go to school today.

SAVIDGE: She's not alone. Attendance at the affected schools is down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For those five schools, 86 percent attendance, it's usually around 95 percent, 96 percent.

SAVIDGE: You might expect Ebola fear, concern of an Ebola outbreak would have people flooding emergency rooms and clinics. Health officials say that hasn't happened so far.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm worried of the spread pause kids go to schools, everybody goes to school, everybody goes to market.

SAVIDGE (on camera): This community closest to the patient now being treated mostly immigrants, their fears are what if there's a stigma

attached to the disease, what if they were banished? What if they were quarantined? How would they go to work? How would they pay their bills? How would they survive?

(voice-over): To try and calm public concerns and provide answers, Dallas activated its emergency operations center, normally reserved for disasters. But it got off to a rough start with frustrated reporters.

REPORTER: Wouldn't you want to keep them all in one place, not in the apartment complex?

SAVIDGE: Martin Savidge, CNN, Dallas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PEREIRA: Thanks so much, Martin.

Now more on the hospital that first declined to admit Thomas Duncan, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital says even though a nurse documented Duncan's travel history from Liberia, the electronic records system wasn't set up to relay that to doctors.

We want to turn to the man you just saw a short time ago on the screen, Zachary Thompson. He's director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Good morning to you, sir.

ZACHARY THOMPSON, DIRECTOR, DALLAS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: Good morning.

PEREIRA: I first want to get your reaction to Martin Savidge's conversation about your city, Dallas, being on edge. Is your county health department on top of it?

THOMPSON: Well, I hear a lot of discussions about who's on top and how it's been handled. Let's be very clear, Ebola virus as we know it should be a healthy fear, but what we're dealing here at this point in Dallas County is that we have the situation under control, it is contained, and we're following CDC recommendations.

I want to commend Dr. Frieden for his staff coming down and assisting Dallas County, the state health department and our medical director, Dr. Christopher Perkins. In this process, we understand that most people see the Ebola outbreak in Africa, and therefore the fear that it could happen here in the United States specifically in Dallas is understandable.

But at this point, the family has been monitored. There is no outbreak and so therefore everyone should ease their fears and allow the public health officials in this state and from the CDC and the local health department to respond to this issue.

PEREIRA: I hear what you're saying, but you can also understand why people are going to say fear is manageable but the fact is, there was a vital step missed when this patient's travel history was not taken. He was then released back into society. You are now monitoring up to 100 people, we're told. That is concerning, sir.

So, help us understand when you say you're monitoring 100 people, what does that entail?

THOMPSON: OK. So, let's put that in perspective, as most people would have to understand, we're not monitoring 100 people, we're doing contact investigation on 100 people.

The family members are the ones that we're doing monitoring on at this point. The other individuals are possible contacts. This is basic public health follow-up that we do day in and day out.

Yes, if you go to a restaurant and somebody reports a food illness, if there is one person who reports that, and there are 49 other people that ate at that restaurant, we're going to follow up on these other people. This is a circle that we have to look at anyone who has possible contact and then come in and reduce down to the specific area that we need to monitor.

PEREIRA: OK, fair enough. Was it basic health monitoring to have the family that is quarantined, the four family members essentially stuck in an apartment with the sweat-soaked sheets and towels from the sickened Ebola patient left in the apartment with them, and no answers on what they should do with those items?

THOMPSON: So, let's put this in perspective. This is called a control order, and basically this control order was put into place to just ensure compliance. In terms of the recommendation as it relates to the one area of the room that is of concern, family members are not in that area, and I believe they were given that information, I'm hearing that they were saying that they were not, but I believe they were given that information.

But again, at this point, the situation is contained. We only have one confirmed case. The real issue at this point right now is to reduce that circle of 100 possible contacts and so we can be focused on recovery, and I think that's where we're moving.

Again, CDC has done a great job. Our state health department has done a great job. America has to be prepared for third world viruses in a 21st century country, and we're seeing a situation right now that is being handled, there may be debate later or I'm assuming it's debate now on how it should be handled. But believe me, it's being handled in the most appropriate way.

PEREIRA: I understand. You might feel that way but the optics of things might seem different to many. For example the missionaries returned back from Africa, we saw men in white suits, bubble suits. We didn't see those at the apartment complex.

We understand that the family didn't feel as though they were given answers in had a quick enough fashion when time is of the essence, sir, and I know you appreciate that.

THOMPSON: Um-hum, and I think what I really appreciate is that this will be a dialogue as an after-action that we can evaluate how this overall situation happened. But it happened very quickly, and I believe it's a lesson learned as we move forward.

I agree there are changes that could be developed in case we have another case here in America. But again, I think everyone has put their best foot forward to ensure that the safety of the family and the safety of Dallas County and the North Texas area is being done.

PEREIRA: Well, the question of safety is one thing. The question of, did they get the dignity and compassion they deserve as well is another question many are asking.

Last question to you: do you feel confident that Dallas County is prepared, should there be an outbreak, should there be another infectious disease in a larger scale fashion than the one we're seeing?

THOMPSON: I think what I'm confident in is the public health system in place, we have great hospitals, great clinicians. I think in terms of our belief we're able to address issues that may arise here in Dallas County and throughout the nation.

I think again, this will be a test case as we move forward for other emerging diseases whether we're talking West Nile virus, chikungunya. Now, today, we're talking about Ebola. This is a best example of our public health system able to respond and learn from this response to enhance our services in the future.

PEREIRA: Hopefully, you can quell the fears in your city because we know there is great concern, parents, teachers, schools, athletics, et cetera, the hospital employees et cetera have concerns and hopefully you can address those.

Zachary Thompson --

THOMPSON: Thank you.

PEREIRA: -- from the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department -- thank you for making time for us today.

We're going to have much more on Ebola concerns ahead. We have a panel of experts that will answer your questions.

Also, the September jobs report is set to be released in just minutes. We'll bring them to you as soon as they are hot off the presses.

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