First American Dies In China From Coronavirus; Interview With Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA)
WHITFIELD: An American has now died in China from the coronavirus. The U.S. embassy in Beijing says the 60-year-old died in the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. China also suffered its deadliest day so far in the outbreak, reporting 86 deaths on Friday and bringing the total number of fatalities to 722. There are more than 34,000 confirmed cases worldwide. And now there are growing concerns about the virus spreading on several cruise ships in Asia. While a ship that is docked in New Jersey has been cleared for departure after some passengers were removed for screening. We have team coverage now beginning with Will Ripley in Yokohama, Japan and Polo Sandoval in New York. So let's first go to Will.</s>WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred. Here in Japan, health authorities are really facing a major test. Just months before their most important sporting event in decades, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, this country now has the highest concentration of coronavirus cases anywhere in the world outside of mainland China. Of course, China is the epicenter of this outbreak, particularly the city of Wuhan which is where the coronavirus is believed to have originated from. And it is in that city where Chinese authorities say a U.S. citizen, an American of Chinese descent died. He died earlier this week. They say he's a man who is in his 60s. And we know that when it comes to coronavirus, the vast majority of deaths have been people over the age of 60. So he certainly felt right into that high-risk group. The Chinese government sending condolences to the United States. We also know that a lot of the passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which has been at port here in Yokohama, currently it's actually out a couple of miles out to sea. But a lot of those passengers are also over the age of 60. That's what a number of passengers we have been speaking with on the ship are telling us. And there was a operation over the last few hours to bring medication on board for some of those passengers who have been running out because they've been under quarantine for days. Also we know that there were coronavirus test kits that were taken off the ship by the Japanese military. Part of the reason why they did it out of sea, they don't want any risk of the virus spreading here on shore. But if more passengers do test positive, and we could get those results in the coming hours, well, that means that the isolation clock starts all over again and those 3,700 people who are on the ship are going to have to continue quarantine for 14 days. And that clock could keep resetting with more positive test results -- Fred.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much -- Will. Polo Sandoval is with us now from New York. So officials screened 27 passengers from that ship in New Jersey and four were actually removed. But we understand that it will be allowed to leave port now?</s>POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred. In fact the ship that they were traveling on yesterday was cleared to depart yesterday but officials with the Royal Caribbean Cruise line saying out of an abundance of caution and simply to reassure the next wave of passengers, they're waiting until CDC test results come back on those four individuals and they don't really necessarily have a reason to believe that they were infected with coronavirus. Now, you might ask why. Well, for starters, the Caribbean cruise line saying -- Royal Caribbean Cruise line saying that they did not exhibit any sort of symptoms associated with the coronavirus. They also hadn't travel to China, however, that was late last month. And also one of them tested positive for influenza. So they don't have any reason to believe that it could be anything else. In the meantime though, not only Norwegian cruise line but also this cruise line here in question, they are implementing stricter boarding protocols and that includes denying boarding to any individual that holds a Chinese or Hong Kong passport as well as other health screenings for anybody who's traveled to mainland China -- Fred.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Polo Sandoval -- thankyou so much.</s>SANDOVAL: Thanks -- Fred.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk further with Congressman Ami Bera. He is a Democratic member of the House Foreign Affairs committee and is a medical doctor. Good to see you-- Congressman. So you chaired hearings on Wednesday on the coronavirus and a lot has changed even since then. What have you learned in the hearings versus what you're hearing from doctors and scientists worldwide?</s>REP. AMI BERA (D-CA): Yes, this is a very fluid situation. What we learned in the hearing -- we had a couple of expert epidemiologists showing things -- is while it is ok to quarantine</s>WHITFIELD: So thus far you're saying China will not allow CDC officials to come in who are volunteering, you know, to take a look at things, to bring their own research?</s>BERA: You know, it's been about a month that CDC's been requesting to go. And we do have some personnel that are going in with the World Health Organization. But we've got to get more of our folks out there. We've got the best epidemiologists, the best scientists in the world. And we've got to figure out exactly what happened with this virus, how it's spreading. And then there may be a difference between what's happening in China because you're seeing many more deaths and much more morbidity and illness in China than you are in the cases around the world.</s>WHITFIELD: One of the things that you talked about in hearings was, you know, the dangers of misinformation. And we know now, I mean China suppressed a lot of information, perhaps even colored it a different way, you know, based on what the real picture is now. So how concerned are you that, you know, you might not be able to make an impact as it pertains to what information or misinformation might be out there?</s>BERA: Very much. I mean that's the reality of the 21st century now is misinformation with social media, with the Internet. What's true and what's not true? So we don't want to panic folks. And again, the risk in the United States is relatively low right now but we do want to be vigilant and we want to make sure people get accurate information. I mean look what happens in the anti-vaccine movement, you know, with misinformation.</s>WHITFIELD: One American in Wuhan has died. What are your concerns about how adequately prepared the United States is?</s>BERA: You know, in a bad flu season, our hospitals get overwhelmed. So we're in the middle of flu season right now. You slap coronavirus on top of that, if it in fact, does spread in the United States, you know, it will be -- it will overwhelm our health system fairly quickly. That's why we've also -- Congress has asked the administration what they need in terms of emergency funding, et cetera, to make sure that doesn't happen.</s>WHITFIELD: Ok. I want to turn now to the race for the White House. You have endorsed Joe Biden for the presidential nomination. And, you know, he came in fourth, you know, in the Iowa caucus. Are you at all concerned -- even the vice president even said last night, I may not do so well in New Hampshire. How concerned or are you concerned at all about his potential showing in the races to come?</s>BERA: You know, I was in Nevada earlier this week. I'm campaigning for the vice president. I was in Iowa a few weeks ago and there's a stark difference between the populations in Iowa and New Hampshire, which are overwhelmingly Caucasian. In Nevada you see the diversity of folks. And you know, Vice President Biden's broad base of support comes from that diverse coalition. So I think it will be ok in New Hampshire -- hopefully he comes in the top there, but when he gets to Nevada, when he gets to the South Carolina --</s>WHITFIELD: What's the top to you?</s>BERA: -- you know, the top to me would be, you know, somewhere in the top four. Maybe even in the top two.</s>WHITFIELD: Ok. And he apparently in his campaign is spending a lot of time concentrating efforts on Nevada. What does that say to you? I mean is that, you know, smart long game or does that say that there's some dismissing of his potential to do well in New Hampshire?</s>BERA: Well, Senator Sanders has the natural advantage in New Hampshire because it's right next to his home state. Elizabeth Warren has a natural advantage. Nevada -- plays to the Vice President's strength because of that broad diverse of folks; and in South Carolina he's always performs pretty strongly. And then you hit Super Tuesday and you have a lot of southern states, you have a broad, diverse number of states and I think the Vice President will do very well on Super Tuesday.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Congressman Ami Bera -- thanks so much for being with us this Saturday. Appreciate it.</s>BERA: Thank you. Have a great day.</s>WHITFIELD: You too. All right. Next -- two key witnesses in the impeachment of President Trump have been given their walking papers. What message is the President sending?