CDC Director Warns Coronavirus Will Likely Stay Beyond This Year & Explains How Officials Are Preparing for Outbreak in U.S.
GOLODRYGA: As health officials scramble to control the novel coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control is out for a new warning: This virus is likely to stay around even beyond this year. And health officials have growing concerns about it spreading in the United States. Fifteen people now infected across the country. And more than 64,000 are infected across the globe. CNN chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, joins us now with the latest. And, Sanjay, you got a rare opportunity to discuss the outbreak with the director of the CDC. How big of a challenge has this been?</s>DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think this is a -- it is priority number one. Certainly for the head of the CDC, the entire organization. I'll tell you, Bianna, it was a fascinating discussion. I mean, the stance is clearly aggressive containment when it comes to this virus. And you're seeing strategies going into place that haven't been used in this country in 50 years. But what I was trying to get at with him was understanding how they arrived at these decisions and how effective they think they're going to be. Take a listen.</s>DR. ROBERT REDFIELD, DIRECTOR, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION: You know, this is going to, you know, obviously be a significant investment.</s>DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the same day the CDC confirmed a 15th U.S. coronavirus case, I went inside the agency's emergency operation center with director, Dr. Robert Redfield. (on camera): How good is the public health infrastructure at reporting in? (voice-over): To give you an idea of how rapidly the situation is changing. (on camera): By the way the numbers changed I can tell you that's actually 15 there. (voice-over): It's a lot to keep up with. (on camera): What is the worst-case scenario here in the United States?</s>REDFIELD: So far we've been able to contain it. But I think this virus is probably with us, beyond this season or beyond this year. And I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission. And you can start to think of it in the sense of like seasonal flu. The only difference is we don't understand this virus.</s>GUPTA (voice-over): Which is exactly why the CDC wants to be on the ground in China. It's probably Redfield's biggest frustration.</s>REDFIELD: Right now, there's no evidence to me that this outbreak is at all under control. It's definitely not controlled. And the sooner we can help them get this under control, the better for the whole world.</s>GUPTA (on camera): So I guess that does raise the question: Why are we sitting here in Atlanta talking about this, versus the CDC being in China collecting some of this data?</s>REDFIELD: I don't think it's a medical decision that we are not being invited in.</s>GUPTA: What do you think it is?</s>REDFIELD: I think it's above the medical.</s>GUPTA: You think it's a political decision?</s>REDFIELD: I think it's above the medical. I don't think the director of CDC is making that decision.</s>GUPTA: You think it's a political decision?</s>REDFIELD: I think -- all I can say is I think it's above the director of CDC because I know he would love to have us assist them.</s>GUPTA (voice-over): China has accepted help from the World Health Organization. The CDC is waiting to hear whether it's going to be a part of that team. In the meantime, Redfield says his priority is to keep Americans safe.</s>REDFIELD: Our whole issue right now is, as I said, aggressive containment to try to give us more time that it's going to take, you know, one to two years to get that, probably develop an out to prepare the health systems, to be able to be flexible enough to deal with the potential, second major cause of respiratory illness.</s>GUPTA: One of the other things I took away, Bianna, from all that, is that, when Dr. Redfield talks about buying time, I think what he's saying is, look, this is a little virus. It doesn't respect boundaries. It doesn't respect geography or borders. It is going to get into these places around the world. Buying time does have value, though. With that time, you can start to better define the virus, maybe come up with some therapeutics, and maybe a vaccine, which everyone has been asking about.</s>GOLODRYGA: You can sense his frustration though. They want to be on the ground there in China to do more of their own research.</s>GUPTA: That's right.</s>GOLODRYGA: That must be stunning for you to see the numbers change before your eyes before that interview. Very important story. Thank you for the reporting, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.</s>GUPTA: Yes. Thank you.</s>GOLODRYGA: And coming up, one more sign that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are stepping back from their royal duties. The details, up next.