Broadway Stars United for Emotional DNC Performance
BALDWIN: We'll get you back to politics in a second. But just some troubling developments today about the Zika virus. Florida officials now confirming that for the first time in the U.S., it's likely been transmitted from infected mosquitoes to a number of people in the Miami area.</s>GOV. RICK SCOTT (R), FLORIDA: One of these four cases involves a man, the other three cases involve men. They are all active Zika cases and have not exhibited symptoms to be admitted to the hospital. Testing of mosquitoes in this area has been happening in this area where -- the small area for about two weeks. While no mosquito traps have tested positive for the Zika virus, the Department of Health is aggressively testing people in the affected area to ensure there are no other cases of this virus.</s>BALDWIN: So, officials believe all four people were infected. This is within a very small area north of downtown Miami. While most people with Zika never show symptoms, it can cause serious birth defects. So, joining me now, CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who is there in Salvador, in Brazil, which we get into this, but could be sort of ground zero for Zika. But, Sanjay, two quick questions on Florida. A, how significant is this, and, B, how do they contain it?</s>DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's significant in many ways. Obviously, these are the first now known cases where Zika has been locally transmitted. I want to tell you real quick what that means is that, you know, there have been cases of Zika infection in the United States. You've known that. You and I have talked about that. There's even been cases where it has been sexually transmitted within the United States. But what this now means is that mosquitoes likely bit somebody who had the Zika virus in their body, they got that Zika virus into the mosquito, then that mosquito went and transferred it to somebody else. That's what local transmission means in this case, and we suspected for some time this would likely happen because these same mosquitoes also carry other infections that they've been following. But it's now it's the first time. You know, like you've heard from the governor, they've been making sure, could this person have traveled or come in contact with somebody who traveled? The answers are no which means that Zika is now officially in the United States, Brooke.</s>BALDWIN: So that's what's happening here. You're in Brazil. What are you finding in Salvador?</s>GUPTA: You know, Salvador and this area of northeast Brazil was the first place that we started to notice not only the Zika infections but this connection to microcephaly. I tell you, they had no idea this was coming. You are talking about Florida? In many ways, we've known that was going to happen in Florida. But here, this was a big surprise. So, how do they first start to figure this out? How do they care for these children who have microcephaly and what does it mean going forward for obviously people here in this part of Brazil, but really for anywhere around the world, including the United States, if children are born with that microcephaly as a result of that Zika infections, what lessons have been learned here? That's what we're on the ground trying to do. But you can see behind me. That is Salvador. It's the third largest city in Brazil, it is also one of the poorest cities in Brazil. There seems to be a connection between poverty and how bad these infections are. It could be that there's other infections could be involved, could be the nutritional status, we don't know. But that's part of the reason we are on ground to investigate, Brooke.</s>BALDWIN: I mean, we've seen pictures, we've had crews in Brazil -- final question, Sanjay -- where you see these children with microcephaly. I'll never be able to unsee these children and can you just explain? If people don't know what that is or means for these babies, what is that?</s>GUPTA: Well, you know, microcephaly, the term micro, small, and cephaly is head, so these are children who have small heads. But it's not just small heads. It is small brains inside those heads as well, and many other neurological sort of problems. It's interesting. There are all sorts of reasons that children can have microcephaly, and even from some other infections. But with Zika in particular, this is new. I mean, this is happening real time, Brooke. They're trying to figure out exactly what the lives are going to be like for these children, how are they in their first year of life, how are they going to be in the years after. It is interesting. They're starting to find that there may be some children, despite the fact that they have this microcephaly, this small head. They may be doing much better than you would otherwise anticipate. Again, this is science unfolding, Brooke, in front of our eyes in this place just here behind me. But this is what they are starting to learn.</s>BALDWIN: All right. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, be safe there. Thank you for going down and getting the story. We'll talk again. Thank you, my friend. Straight ahead, though, as we're talking Brazil, let's talk Olympics. The 2016 Olympic Games this summer begin in Rio in one week. There are multiple concerns. But one, how about the one you are looking at, how about the filthy water that can cause major health issues? What are the athletes saying? We'll take you live to Rio -- next.