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CNN 10
Flu Season Continues to Hit Hard in the U.S.; More Than 450,000 People are Threatened by a Rumbling Volcano; Travel Expert Shares Tips for Taking Trips
Aired January 14, 2020 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: This is CNN 10. Your objective explanation of world news in 10 minutes and I`m Carl Azuz welcoming our viewers from
around the world. Our first subject this January 14th is flu season. The United States is in it right now. It`s typically at its worse between
December and February but this one started early. Health officials say it began in late September and that it`s been a bad season already. The
Centers of Disease Control, a government health agency, estimated that there had been at least 9.7 million cases of flu in America by early
January. That 87,000 people have been hospitalized because of it and that 4,800 people had died from the flu or the complications it can cause.
The particular strains of the virus that are spreading this year are more likely to hit children and young adults and this year`s vaccine is not an
exact match according to a recent report. Meaning it may not be as effective as flu vaccines in other years. The CDC says overall the
vaccine`s about 40 to 60 percent effective at preventing the flu but it also says it`s the best way to protect yourself from the virus. There are
some silver linings to this flu season. Even though flu activity was considered high in 33 states at the beginning of the year, it had dropped a
bit.
Doctors don`t know yet if that means the worse of the flu is behind us. It could still go up again but they`re watching closely to see if it tapers
off. Another hopeful sign is that across all age groups, the number of deaths and hospitalizations from the flu is relatively low this time
around. That maybe because most of those who die from the flu are elderly and this years stains are effecting younger people more than them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s always scary when you hear of someone dying from something as common as the flu. There are four main ways the flu can turn
deadly. The first and most common cause is pneumonia. The influenza virus can directly cause viral pneumonia. Once someone has the flu, it can
weaken their immune system so much that another virus or bacteria can enter the lungs. Infected lungs fill with fluid making it difficult to breathe
so oxygen can`t get to the rest of the body which can lead to death.
Sepsis is the second way the flu can become lethal especially in healthy younger adults and children. Sepsis occurs when a persons immune system
goes into overdrive trying to fight the flu. This causes inflammation which can lead to a cascade of symptoms that ultimately ends in organ
failure. A third way the flu can kill by increasing your risk of heart attack. Experts say an adults risk of heart attack increases six fold in
the seven days following a flu diagnosis. The fourth way the flu can kill is by dehydration particularly among infants and young children. The flu
often causes vomiting and diarrhea which can quickly become life threatening if fluids aren`t replaced in the body.
So if you get the flu, when should you be worried? Some people have a higher risk for serious complications from the flu including the elderly,
children under the age of five, pregnant women and those with chronic health problems. If this is you, make sure you see a doctor. If you`re a
healthy older child or adult, watch out for sudden dizziness, severe persistent vomiting, difficulty breathing, pain or pressure in the chest or
abdomen and flu like symptoms that improve then return with a fever or worse cough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: 10 Second Trivia. Which of these nations is located on the eastern side of the South China Sea? Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, or Malaysia.
Tough question but it`s the Philippines who`s capital is Manila that`s located east of the South China Sea.
A state of emergency`s been declared near that capital because of a recent eruption at the Taal Volcano. It`s not the most active one in the
Philippines but volcanologists say Taal is very dangerous because it`s erupted in the past and because it`s located near populated areas. The
United Nations estimates that more than 450,000 people live in the volcano`s danger zone. The state of emergency means schools are closed so
they along with local convents can be used as shelters. Government offices are also closed and flights have been cancelled because volcanic ash can
melt inside jet engines and badly damage them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After more than 40 years of relative peace and quiet, Taal Volcano, one of the smallest in the world started making a whole lot
of noise.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: We were afraid and in a panic. We`re thinking of how we can save our lives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It all started Sunday afternoon about 60 kilometers south of the Philippine capital of Manila. A violent eruption sending
steam, ash and rock roughly 15 kilometers into the sky. Raining down on the roughly 25 million people like Noel Suarez (ph) living below.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: It`s difficult to get food because it`s difficult to move. We cannot use the vehicle since it`s (inaudible). We
cannot even clean it because there`s no water. Almost everything is a problem now and then you have the volcano spewing again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And after nearly 150 small earthquake, Philippine officials believe it`s going to get worse before it gets better. Nearly
half a million residents have been ordered to evacuate immediately believing another much larger eruption and possible tsunami could be
imminent.
ERIC KLEMETTI, VOLCANOLOGIST: The real hazard is that it has the potential for explosions - -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s volcanologist Eric Klemetti. He says that despite Taal`s small stature, it`s one of the most dangerous volcanoes in
the world. A volcano with a deadly past claiming more than 1,300 lives in 1911 and other 190 in 1965.
KLEMETTI: To the people living nearby the combination of explosions and a large population can really - - are the things that volcanologists really
hope don`t get combined.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A combination that could be fatal and has already proven to be destructive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: While that region probably isn`t the best vacation destination, at least until the volcano calms down. This is one time of year when folks
make plans to travel for spring break, summer break, spring weddings, summer weddings, ski vacations, beach vacations or just to get away. CNN
recently sat down with travel expert Samantha Brown who`s been talking travel on TV for 20 years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAMANTHA BROWN, AMERICAN TELEVISION HOST: I have been traveling as a career now for 20 years. Being stressed about time is the worst thing you
can do and the way to take away 90 percent of your stress is to get there in time. And by that I mean I always base my arrival to the airport on the
boarding time of my flight not the departure time. Just this year alone I have been on 45 flights through 88 airports. I`ve checked in and out of 32
hotels.
Hello, how are you? Nice to see you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nice to see you.
BROWN: Oh gosh. I want everything there.
The best thing you can do to connect with locals is smile and say hello. And if you are in another country, the most important words to know in that
language are hello, please and thank you. That is it. I always try to know how to say may I please have, because I feel as travelers or (ph)
consumers. We`re always asking for things. We always need something whether it`s a bathroom or a really good flaky croissant and so if I know
how to say that in the most polite form that makes the connection right there.
I think I`m going to have - - I - - you know, I wanted to try your tuna melt on (inaudible) sourdough please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
BROWN: I think one piece of advice that I could give everyone when vacations turn bad or when you arrive somewhere and it wasn`t your
expectation is that you need to take a moment, breathe and adapt. Travel`s purpose is never to be perfect. We are creatures of habit. We are now out
of our habit. We`re out of our daily rituals. Let that sink in and - - and don`t judge a situation immediately. But you should never, ever cancel
your vacation to go home. You have to stick with it. Absolutely. Just cancelling is the worst thing you can do.
Oh, thank you so much. I love places like this. Just these small local cafes. I come here probably every other day when I`m home and it`s
actually one of my biggest travel tips that I give people. If you`re in a place for more than two, three, four days, create a ritual. Go to the same
cafe, every single day and then if I have any sort of courage I can just turn to someone and say, hey where should I have dinner. What should I do
next? So it`s just kind of starting a conversation, being in a local place and then relying on locals to take you to that next step.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Sticking with our travel theme. If you`ve ever been on a ship or ferry in the open sea, you might have spotted dolphins swimming alongside.
So did some firefighters from the Naples Florida Fire Rescue Department. Last week they posted this video on their Facebook page and called it
"Dolphins Came to Play". One fireman described the scene as a perk of having the best job in the world in the beautiful city of Naples, #blessed.
It`s no fish story and it`s no tall tale. Thanks to their new found fame, the dolphins got their very own "fin club" and it`s no fluke. It`s opened
so many "dorsals" and if they use their melons you can expect them to be "beaked" to flex their "pectoral" flippers once more.
I`m Carl Azuz and that is CNN 10. The students of Rotolo Middle School know all about it. It`s great to see you guys in Batavia, Illinois and
thanks for subscribing and commenting on yesterday`s show at YouTube.com/CNN.
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