Americans Head Outdoors on Memorial Day Weekend; Arkansas: 'Second Peak' in Cases after Increased Testing; Brazil Has Second Highest Number of Cases Worldwide; U.K.'s P.M. Defends Top Advisor's Alleged Lockdown Breach
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes. And coming up here on CNN NEWSROOM, crowds in the U.S. are packing the beaches this holiday weekend, as fears grow it could result in an early second wave. Greeting crowds with apparently no mask, Brazil's president copes with growing cases and new travel restrictions. Also, protesters in Hong Kong met with tear gas. Will this be the end of one country, two systems? Welcome, everyone. It is Memorial Day in the United States, and millions of Americans have been marking the holiday by heading outdoors, even as the coronavirus continues to claim lives. Over the weekend, dozens flocked to beaches in South Carolina, few of them wearing masks, but most trying to keep a safe distance from one another. That was not the case at this pool party in Missouri. As you can see, dozens of tourists crammed together, in clear violation of safety guidelines. Officials have warned the virus can spread through people in proximity like this.</s>DR. DEBORAH BIRX, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE COORDINATOR: We've made it clear that there's asymptomatic spread. And that means that people are spreading the virus unknowingly. And this is unusual in the case of respiratory diseases, in many cases. So you don't know who's infected, and so we really want to be clear all the time that social distancing is absolutely critical. And if you can't social distance, and you're outside, you must wear a mask. These are items that are really critical to protect individuals.</s>HOLMES: Meanwhile, some churches in the U.S. have started to reopen days after President Trump called them essential. Despite warnings, many people attending mass on Sundays, most of them wearing face masks, not all. But in Brazil, the president took off his own mask when he greeted supporters. He has repeatedly ignored safety guidelines, even though Brazil has the second most infections in the world. The U.S. has now suspended entry to travelers from Brazil for two weeks. And in the U.K., the prime minister is standing by an adviser accused of breaching lockdown measures there. Boris Johnson says Dominic Cummings acted legally when he traveled out of London with his wife, who had coronavirus symptoms, and their 4-year-old son. Mr. Johnson says Cummings will not resign. As the U.S. continues to ease restrictions, some Americans are taking extra measures to remain safe. CNN's Rosa Flores tells us what beachgoers in Florida were doing.</s>ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm in Pensacola Beach, Florida, and I want to show you around. Because here's what people are doing to make sure that they social distance. If you look behind me, you'll see the umbrellas are separated by more than six feet apart. Now, this allows families to have a good time, intermingle, but also, social distance. And that way, they don't have to be intermingling with other families. Now, this is definitely a downward scale from what Memorial Day weekend normally is here in Pensacola. I talked to the county commissioner that represents this area, and he says, normally, this beach would be shoulder to shoulder. There would be concerts going on. At the other end of the island, Pride Week would also be going on, which brings out about 50,000 people. So this is definitely a downgrade in the number of people. But take a look at the numbers, because he was able to help us out with some figures. If you compare Memorial Day weekend 2019 to 2020, it almost looks the same. Take a look at these numbers. From Thursday to Monday, according to this commissioner, there was about 85,000 cars that drove into Pensacola last year. This year, he was able to get the numbers for us from Friday to Sunday, at about 1:50 p.m., and that's about 50,000 cars. But if you just compare Saturday, it's about 20,000 cars coming in to Pensacola. Now, this is a very drivable beach, because people from Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, drive to this beach for Memorial Day weekend. Now, I asked this commissioner the obvious question: Is he concerned about the spread of the coronavirus? And here's what he said.</s>ROBERT BENDER, ESCAMBIA BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER: It's something we are concerned about. This is why we closed the beaches to begin with in March. But of course, as we learn more about it, as people know more about the symptoms, and what to do. We've been very fortunate that we've had a lot of testing available here. And so, if people are experiencing any types of symptoms or anything like that, then they need to get tested, if they come.</s>FLORES: According to the county commissioner, 34 lifeguards have been on duty throughout Memorial Day weekend, and if you look around me, you'll see that a lot of social distancing is going on, but not very many people are wearing masks. And that's because, while social distancing is required, masks are not. Rosa Flores, CNN, Pensacola Beach, Florida.</s>HOLMES: Meanwhile, several U.S. states are seeing a surge in new infections. Over the weekend, the Arkansas governor said his state is experiencing a second peak, which he attributed to more testing. CNN's Ed Lavandera has the details.</s>ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Arkansas is one of the few states in the country where the governor did not issue a stay-at- home order for its residence. They did have restrictions put on businesses and restaurants, and schools were closed, but that is one of the reasons why this second wave here, as the governor here is describing it, of coronavirus infections, is concerning. This started on Thursday of last week. The governor says that more testing is being done of the coronavirus, and it's one of the reasons why they're seeing the second wave. Four hundred and fifth case or so reported last Thursday. Another 150 on Friday, then 160 about on Saturday. The case totals were a little bit lower on Sunday, but that could have something to do with the way weekend test results are reported. So we'll have to see how this continues to play out here in the coming days. But the governor has described it as a second wave. He says one of the silver linings here is that the positive infection rate of these tests, and the hospitalization rates for the virus, remain low. So by and large, the state of Arkansas has not seen the case numbers, and the death totals as high as many other places in the country. And the governor here says that the state and its residents must learn to manage and learn to essentially live with this virus here for the months to come. Ed Lavandera, CNN, Little Rock, Arkansas</s>HOLMES: Well, as the U.S. continues to reopen over the holiday weekend, health experts are reminding the public not to let their guard down and continue that social distancing. For more on that, I'm joined by Dr. Jorge Rodriguez in Los Angeles, an internal medicine and viral specialist. Always a pleasure, sir. I think when you look at some of the video of the gatherings at the weekend, that Missouri pool party, the Arkansas cluster that's being reported, another one in Atlanta after students at a party, how do you react to some of these images this weekend? Do you expect spikes in a couple of weeks?</s>DR. JORGE RODRIGUEZ, INTERNAL MEDICINE AND VIRAL SPECIALIST: Yes. I do. And I react to them, actually. I've become very depressed and frustrated by this. Because those actions are both ignorant, selfish, and dangerous at the end of the day. I think Dr. Birx said that the virus is asymptomatic, and I'm not sure if people realize what that means. Asymptomatic means no symptoms. Up to 35 to 40 percent of the people that have the virus do not have fever, do not have cough, do not have any symptoms. Therefore, it's not even if, they are going to spread it to other people. It's not even an "if." There will be a second spike, unless something miraculous happens. So right now, everyone needs to take precautions. And there's some people think that they're -- they're not vulnerable, because they're young, which is a complete misconception. So yes, it's very, actually, frustrating, I think, to those who know.</s>HOLMES: And I think there -- there are 20,000 new infections a day in the U.S., 1000 deaths, more than 1,000 deaths. You've got these spikes in various parts of the country. But yet, this weekend, Donald Trump called for, basically, demanded churches reopen. And I don't know if you saw it. Literally, a couple of hours ago, he tweeted schools in our country should be opened ASAP, because, quote, "much very good information now available." Your thoughts on that?</s>RODRIGUEZ: Much very good information?</s>HOLMES: Not the grammar, but the --</s>RODRIGUEZ: No, no, no, no, no. Somebody else who needs to go to school. But, you know, we need clear and concise leadership. And perhaps schools should open, but there needs to be a plan. Every time that people congregate, there is the threat of disease. And listen, this country was raised, and, founded on religious freedom. But you don't necessarily have to go to a church to express that, and every congregation, every pastor, every minister, every rabbi, I think, is most concerned about the health and the safety, both emotionally and religiously, of their flock. And they should ensure that. So can churches open? With a plan, I think they can safely open. If there's distancing, if people wear masks. But look at us. We're communicating, you know, through video right now, so why not do that for a little bit until things quiet down?</s>HOLMES: Yes, and -- and a lot of pushback on his tweet on -- on schools. But of course, in the U.S., I mean, most schools are out for the summer anyway.</s>RODRIGUEZ: Right.</s>HOLMES: So I'm not sure the point of that -- that tweet. What is it in human nature that, you know, with 100,000 dead, as I said, 20,000 new infections a day, what is it that makes some people seemingly oblivious, you know, rejecting the risk, just willing to gamble with their health? But as you point out, not just their health, the health of others. There's a lot of people who think this is all overblown.</s>RODRIGUEZ: It's -- well, it's not overblown. And, you know, luckily, it hasn't gotten to the point where we thought it might get to, just because of actions that have been taking. I mean, look at New York. I mean, it is exemplary. That curve went spike went up and then went down. But, you know, the New Yorkers took it very seriously. So what is it in human nature? You know, one is, I think, that people don't see it, so it is not a reality to them. It's a reality to me. It's a reality to someone who's lost a wife, or a husband, or a brother. And then the second thing, which I think is very odious, is the fact that so much of this, I think, is political. It is almost showing that you agree with -- with some party in this country. And it's a form of machismo, and it's -- again, it's very depressing to see that.</s>HOLMES: Yes. It's almost a culture war issue. Yes, I tend to agree with that. Would you also agree that, when we talk about testing, there is still not enough of it here in the U.S.? There needs to be for people to have that confidence to go to work. There needs to be widespread testing, contact tracing, and so on, as other more successful countries have done and are doing.</s>RODRIGUEZ: Yes, absolutely. You know, the issue is, Michael, that a lot of those countries that are most successful also have a different form of government here, and they're a little bit more totalitarian. So they can therefore force their people to do, you know, certain Things like in China. They need to be quarantined without movement, and they would bring them food. The United States, right, blessed as we are, we have certain freedoms, and you can't force people to do anything. So we really have to make people understand testing is important. But again, testing to what degree? Antibody testing, if we know that antibodies provide immunity, that's great. But if we want live testing, how often we do it? Who gets it? And again, this is a plan that needs to come from upstairs down. But do we need testing? Yes, absolutely we need more testing.</s>HOLMES: Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, always a pleasure. Thank you so much.</s>RODRIGUEZ: Have a good night.</s>HOLMES: You, too. Well, Brazil's foreign ministry has responded to President Trump's restrictions on travelers from Brazil to the U.S. In an email to CNN, the foreign ministry reiterated that the two nations are collaborating in the fight against COVID-19. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh has that and the worsening health crisis Brazil is facing.</s>NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Brazil pretty clearly now the second most impacted country in the world by coronavirus after figures emerged late on Saturday night. That seemed to be responded to by the United States, the most impacted country in terms of confirmed cases, by banning entry into the U.S. for those from Brazil, or those who've been to Brazil, in the last 14 days. It seems definitely a bid to try and prevent the infection here, from getting into the United States and contributing. It's spread inside the U.S. But this piece of bad news, of course, for Brazilians comes on a day in which their president, Jair Bolsonaro, is a game being seen near crowds of supporters, not wearing a mask. An unexpected rally and Brasilia, the seat of government in Brazil. He was reported to have flown over these crowds in a helicopter, then landed wearing a mask and is then later filmed, flanked at one point by cabinet member and two lawmakers supporting him, greeting supporters. These are very common displays by the president of his support in the capital of government, and is often used to suggest that he is comfortable amongst other individuals, that masks aren't necessarily essential, despite the growing catastrophe inside Brazil itself. Jair Bolsonaro's statement was always it was a little flu, coronavirus, or a cold. He's later modified his language to talk about the fight against it being a war, but that was more to justify the use of the drug hydroxychloroquine, which has, in some studies, been proven to actually be harmful to individuals, and certainly, yet to be proven to be beneficial in the fight against coronavirus. But Brazile still, it seems, a week to two weeks away from its peak, and its political leadership giving very divided signals themselves. The main figure, Jair Bolsonaro, not wearing a mask this day. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Manaus, Brazil.</s>HOLMES: Now on Sunday, the Mexican president said the pandemic could cost the country up to a million jobs. Health-wise, it has been the worst week for Mexico since the start of the outbreak. Officials there say more than 2,700 new cases and 215 deaths were reported on Sunday alone. In total, nearly 7,400 people in Mexico have now died of the virus. When we come back, protests and crackdown in Hong Kong. Thousands of people defying police and tear gas to tell the mainland to keep its hands off their freedoms. We'll talk about that next. Also, Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the U.K. defending his top advisor and his alleged breach of national lockdown rules he helped write. The latest fallout from a tense situation in the U.K. after the break.