>> Ed: THIS FOX NEWS ALERT, THE NUMBER OF CONFIRMED CASES OF

THE NUMBER OF CONFIRMED CASES OF CORONAVIRUS NOT REACHING NEARLY

CORONAVIRUS NOT REACHING NEARLY 8,000 WORLDWIDE.

8,000 WORLDWIDE. PRESIDENT TRUMP APPOINTING A

PRESIDENT TRUMP APPOINTING A CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE TO HELP

CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE TO HELP LEAD THE U.S. RESPONSE TO THIS

LEAD THE U.S. RESPONSE TO THIS OUTBREAK.

OUTBREAK. YOU SEE SOME PHOTOS FROM THE

YOU SEE SOME PHOTOS FROM THE MEETINGS LAST NIGHT.

MEETINGS LAST NIGHT. THE PRESIDENT MEETING WITH HIS

THE PRESIDENT MEETING WITH HIS TEAM AND HEALTH AND HUMAN

TEAM AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ECHO SECRETARY ALEX AZA

SERVICES ECHO SECRETARY ALEX AZA HEADS THAT GROUP.

HEADS THAT GROUP. GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. A GROWING NUMBER OF EXPERTS

A GROWING NUMBER OF EXPERTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE SAYING THE

AROUND THE WORLD ARE SAYING THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SHOULD

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SHOULD STEP IN HERE AND DECLARE THIS A

STEP IN HERE AND DECLARE THIS A WORLD HEALTH EMERGENCY.

WORLD HEALTH EMERGENCY. DO YOU AGREE?

DO YOU AGREE? >> THEY ARE ACTUALLY MEETING AS

>> THEY ARE ACTUALLY MEETING AS WE SPEAK TO DETERMINE WHETHER

WE SPEAK TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS CONSTITUTES A PUBLIC HEALTH

THIS CONSTITUTES A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OF INTERNATIONAL

EMERGENCY OF INTERNATIONAL CONSEQUENCE.

CONSEQUENCE. I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW

I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT DOESN’T REALLY CHANGE

THAT DOESN’T REALLY CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT WE DO HERE

ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT WE DO HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS VIRUS, WHILE IT DOESN’T

THIS VIRUS, WHILE IT DOESN’T POSE A THREAT TO EVERYDAY

POSE A THREAT TO EVERYDAY AMERICANS AT THIS TIME, THE

AMERICANS AT THIS TIME, THE PRESIDENT IS ENSURING THAT WE

PRESIDENT IS ENSURING THAT WE ARE PROACTIVELY PREPARING AND

ARE PROACTIVELY PREPARING AND ALSO TAKING THE NECESSARY STEPS

ALSO TAKING THE NECESSARY STEPS TO PREVENT OR MITIGATE ANY

TO PREVENT OR MITIGATE ANY POTENTIAL FOR THE SPREAD OF THAT

POTENTIAL FOR THE SPREAD OF THAT VIRUS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

VIRUS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. ONE ASPECT OF THAT IS YESTERDAY

ONE ASPECT OF THAT IS YESTERDAY HE ANNOUNCED THAT WE HAVE

HE ANNOUNCED THAT WE HAVE FORMALIZED A TASK FORCE THAT I

FORMALIZED A TASK FORCE THAT I AM LEADING ACROSS THE ENTIRE

AM LEADING ACROSS THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT. >> Ed: PLEASE TELL US THEN,

>> Ed: PLEASE TELL US THEN, WHAT DID YOU BRIEF THE

WHAT DID YOU BRIEF THE PRESIDENT ON?

PRESIDENT ON? WHAT IS THE PRESIDENT BEING

WHAT IS THE PRESIDENT BEING TOLD?

TOLD? MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS

MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS HE SAYING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

HE SAYING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS ABOUT THE THREAT TO AMERICANS,

ABOUT THE THREAT TO AMERICANS, WHAT IS BEING DONE TO PROTECT

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO PROTECT AMERICANS?

AMERICANS? >> THE NICE THING IS WHAT HE IS

>> THE NICE THING IS WHAT HE IS BEING BRIEFED ON IS EXACTLY WHAT

BEING BRIEFED ON IS EXACTLY WHAT I’M TELLING YOU AND THE AMERICAN

I’M TELLING YOU AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

PEOPLE. WE ARE BEING COMPLETELY

WE ARE BEING COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT ABOUT OUR ACTIONS

TRANSPARENT ABOUT OUR ACTIONS HERE.

HERE. WHICH IS THAT, WHILE THIS IS A

WHICH IS THAT, WHILE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PUBLIC

POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT, IT IS NOT AT THIS

HEALTH THREAT, IT IS NOT AT THIS TIME POSE A RISK THE AMERICAN

TIME POSE A RISK THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.

PUBLIC. THEY HAVE TO BE BALANCED IN OUR

THEY HAVE TO BE BALANCED IN OUR APPROACH.

APPROACH. WE WILL TAKE ALL PUBLIC HEALTH

WE WILL TAKE ALL PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES NECESSARY TO PROTECT

MEASURES NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, SO WE BRIEF

THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, SO WE BRIEF THE PRESIDENT AS WE DO OURSELVES

THE PRESIDENT AS WE DO OURSELVES ON THE CURRENT EPIDEMIOLOGICAL

ON THE CURRENT EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INFORMATION ON THE SPREAD OF THE

INFORMATION ON THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.

VIRUS. THESE STEPS HAPPENING

THESE STEPS HAPPENING INTERNATIONALLY, AND OUR

INTERNATIONALLY, AND OUR PREVENTIVE PREPAREDNESS STEPS

PREVENTIVE PREPAREDNESS STEPS WE’RE TAKING IN THE

WE’RE TAKING IN THE UNITED STATES.

UNITED STATES. >> Ed: YOU SEEM VERY CONFIDENT

>> Ed: YOU SEEM VERY CONFIDENT WE ARE GETTING A HANDLE ON THIS.

WE ARE GETTING A HANDLE ON THIS. THAT’S GOOD NEWS.

THAT’S GOOD NEWS. "THE NEW YORK TIMES," THOUGH,

"THE NEW YORK TIMES," THOUGH, HAS AN EDITORIAL THIS MORNING

HAS AN EDITORIAL THIS MORNING THAT YOU PROBABLY SAW SANG A LOT

THAT YOU PROBABLY SAW SANG A LOT OF EXPERTS AROUND THE WORLD

OF EXPERTS AROUND THE WORLD DON’T KNOW YET HOW CONTAGIOUS

DON’T KNOW YET HOW CONTAGIOUS THIS IS, HOW DEADLY THE NEW

THIS IS, HOW DEADLY THE NEW VIRUS IS.

VIRUS IS. THAT THEY ARE EXPERTS AT EVERY

THAT THEY ARE EXPERTS AT EVERY GLOBAL INDUSTRY NOW FRETTING

GLOBAL INDUSTRY NOW FRETTING OVER SUPPLY CHAINS, NEW ECONOMIC

OVER SUPPLY CHAINS, NEW ECONOMIC IMPACTS.

IMPACTS. IN THE HEADLINE IS, "IS THE

IN THE HEADLINE IS, "IS THE WORLD READY FOR THE

WORLD READY FOR THE CORONAVIRUS?"

CORONAVIRUS?" HOW DO YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION?

HOW DO YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION? >> WE’VE BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT

>> WE’VE BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT WE DON’T KNOW YET

ABOUT WHAT WE DON’T KNOW YET ABOUT THIS VIRUS, WHICH IS WE

ABOUT THIS VIRUS, WHICH IS WE DON’T KNOW FULL INFORMATION

DON’T KNOW FULL INFORMATION ABOUT ITS CONTAGIOUSNESS, ABOUT

ABOUT ITS CONTAGIOUSNESS, ABOUT ITS SEVERITY PROFILE, WHICH IS

ITS SEVERITY PROFILE, WHICH IS WHY I AM DELIGHTED AT THE

WHY I AM DELIGHTED AT THE INVITATION OF THE CHINESE

INVITATION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT. WE WILL ACCEPT THE INVITATION TO

WE WILL ACCEPT THE INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE AS PART OF THE WORLD

PARTICIPATE AS PART OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION’S TEAM OF

HEALTH ORGANIZATION’S TEAM OF EXPERTS THAT WILL DEPLOY TO

EXPERTS THAT WILL DEPLOY TO CHINA TO ASSIST CHINESE EXPERTS

CHINA TO ASSIST CHINESE EXPERTS ON THE GROUND TO ACTUALLY GET

ON THE GROUND TO ACTUALLY GET GROUND TROOPS STUDY THIS VIRUS,

GROUND TROOPS STUDY THIS VIRUS, GET ALL THE INFORMATION TO BOTH

GET ALL THE INFORMATION TO BOTH PREVENT THE SPREAD FURTHER AND

PREVENT THE SPREAD FURTHER AND CHINA BUT ALSO GLOBAL SPREAD OF

CHINA BUT ALSO GLOBAL SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS.

THIS VIRUS. >> Ed: I WANT TO ASK YOU

>> Ed: I WANT TO ASK YOU DIRECTLY, THE SEPARATE FACT

DIRECTLY, THE SEPARATE FACT FICTION.

FICTION. THIS SAYS THEY HAVE A LIMITED’S

THIS SAYS THEY HAVE A LIMITED’S OFFICE OF PANDEMIC RESPONSE THAT

OFFICE OF PANDEMIC RESPONSE THAT WAS ARE DOME I CREATED OVER THE

WAS ARE DOME I CREATED OVER THE EBOLA EPIDEMIC AND THAT YOU’VE

EBOLA EPIDEMIC AND THAT YOU’VE DRASTICALLY SCALED BACK THE

DRASTICALLY SCALED BACK THE CDC’S OVERSEAS OUTBREAK PREVENTI

CDC’S OVERSEAS OUTBREAK PREVENTI EFFORTS.

EFFORTS. THE TIMES CLAIMING THIS MAY

THE TIMES CLAIMING THIS MAY HAMPER THE U.S. RESPONSE.

HAMPER THE U.S. RESPONSE. WHAT DO YOU SAY?

WHAT DO YOU SAY? >> THAT IS JUST PATHOLOGICAL,

>> THAT IS JUST PATHOLOGICAL, THAT THEY HAVE TO ATTACK THE

THAT THEY HAVE TO ATTACK THE PRESIDENT EVEN WHEN HE IS

PRESIDENT EVEN WHEN HE IS SHOWING THIS TYPE OF DETERMINED

SHOWING THIS TYPE OF DETERMINED LEADERSHIP TO PROTECT THE

LEADERSHIP TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.

AMERICAN PUBLIC. LAST YEAR, IF THEY WOULD READ

LAST YEAR, IF THEY WOULD READ THEIR OWN PAPER THEY WOULD SEE

THEIR OWN PAPER THEY WOULD SEE THAT WE CHANGED OUR BIOHAZARD

THAT WE CHANGED OUR BIOHAZARD PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE DOCTRINE TO ACTUALLY HAVE ME, AS

DOCTRINE TO ACTUALLY HAVE ME, AS SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, LEAVE THOSE EFFORTS.

SERVICES, LEAVE THOSE EFFORTS. THAT’S WHY THE TASK FORCE HAS ME

THAT’S WHY THE TASK FORCE HAS ME COORDINATING THE APPROACH FOR

COORDINATING THE APPROACH FOR ANY TYPE OF BIOHAZARD.

ANY TYPE OF BIOHAZARD. WITH REGARD TO THE CDC, WE HAVE

WITH REGARD TO THE CDC, WE HAVE A HUGE GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY

A HUGE GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY AGENDA AND WHAT WE’VE ACTUALLY

AGENDA AND WHAT WE’VE ACTUALLY DONE IS FOCUS INTO THE HIGHEST

DONE IS FOCUS INTO THE HIGHEST RISK AREAS, INCLUDING CHINA.

RISK AREAS, INCLUDING CHINA. >> Ed: JUST TO BUTTON UP

>> Ed: JUST TO BUTTON UP ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE WORLD

ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WHERE I

HEALTH ORGANIZATION WHERE I STARTED, AS YOU NOTED, THEY ARE

STARTED, AS YOU NOTED, THEY ARE MEETING NOW.

MEETING NOW. WE SHOULD GET WORD SHORTLY ON

WE SHOULD GET WORD SHORTLY ON WHETHER THEY WILL SAY IT’S

WHETHER THEY WILL SAY IT’S SPECIFICALLY A PUBLIC HEALTH

SPECIFICALLY A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.

EMERGENCY. I KNOW YOU SAID THAT DOESN’T

I KNOW YOU SAID THAT DOESN’T REALLY IMPACT WITH THE U.S. IS

REALLY IMPACT WITH THE U.S. IS DOING, BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, A

DOING, BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, A DECLARATION LIKE THAT WOULD LEAD

DECLARATION LIKE THAT WOULD LEAD TO A BOOST IN PUBLIC HEALTH

TO A BOOST IN PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES, MORE FUNDING AND

MEASURES, MORE FUNDING AND RESOURCES TO HELP PREVENT IT

RESOURCES TO HELP PREVENT IT FROM SPREADING MUCH WIDER.

FROM SPREADING MUCH WIDER. WOULD THAT BE IMPORTANT TO THE

WOULD THAT BE IMPORTANT TO THE U.S. EFFORTS IF, IN FACT, THE

U.S. EFFORTS IF, IN FACT, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION MAKES

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION MAKES THAT DESIGNATION?

THAT DESIGNATION? >> AGAIN, HE REALLY DOESN’T

>> AGAIN, HE REALLY DOESN’T CHANGE OUR EFFORTS AT ALL.

CHANGE OUR EFFORTS AT ALL. IT’S A DECLARATION JUST OF

IT’S A DECLARATION JUST OF STATUS.

STATUS. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT IN THESE

IT’S VERY IMPORTANT IN THESE SITUATIONS.

SITUATIONS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN DO IS ENSURE THE PUBLIC,

WE CAN DO IS ENSURE THE PUBLIC, AND PARTICULAR OUR HEALTH CARE

AND PARTICULAR OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE.

PROVIDERS, ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE. WOULD YOU BE DUE WITHIN

WOULD YOU BE DUE WITHIN INFECTIOUS DISEASE OUTBREAK?

INFECTIOUS DISEASE OUTBREAK? BLOCKING AND

ATTACKING

DIAGNOSING, TREATING, AND

DIAGNOSING, TREATING, AND TRACING THE PEOPLE THAT THE

TRACING THE PEOPLE THAT THE CONTACTS THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH

CONTACTS THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH AND PERHAPS THE CONTACTS OF

WITH AND PERHAPS THE CONTACTS OF THOSE CONTACTS AND TAKING

THOSE CONTACTS AND TAKING APPROPRIATE STEPS.

APPROPRIATE STEPS. ANY TYPE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IS

ANY TYPE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT.

IMPORTANT. >> Ed: LESS QUESTION THEN, WE

>> Ed: LESS QUESTION THEN, WE HAD THIS PLANE ARRIVING

HAD THIS PLANE ARRIVING YESTERDAY, MOSTLY DIPLOMATS AND

YESTERDAY, MOSTLY DIPLOMATS AND OTHER AMERICANS ON THE GROUND

OTHER AMERICANS ON THE GROUND AND WUHAN.

AND WUHAN. THEY ARE NOW IN AMERICA BEING

THEY ARE NOW IN AMERICA BEING CHECKED OUT.

CHECKED OUT. IT SEEMS LIKE THE IMPORTANT

IT SEEMS LIKE THE IMPORTANT MEASURES ARE BEING TAKEN.

MEASURES ARE BEING TAKEN. THERE’S IMPORTANT STORIES ABOUT

THERE’S IMPORTANT STORIES ABOUT OTHER AMERICANS STILL AROUND

OTHER AMERICANS STILL AROUND WUHAN.

WUHAN. OTHERS OBVIOUSLY AROUND CHINA.

OTHERS OBVIOUSLY AROUND CHINA. TALK BROADLY ABOUT WHAT YOU AND

TALK BROADLY ABOUT WHAT YOU AND THE PRESIDENT ARE DOING TO MAKE

THE PRESIDENT ARE DOING TO MAKE SURE AMERICANS NOT JUST HERE AT

SURE AMERICANS NOT JUST HERE AT HOME BUT AROUND THE WORLD ARE

HOME BUT AROUND THE WORLD ARE SAFE

>> WE HAVE ADDITIONAL AMERICANS

>> WE HAVE ADDITIONAL AMERICANS IN THAT HUBEI PROVINCE OF CHINA,

IN THAT HUBEI PROVINCE OF CHINA, THE EPICENTER OF THE OUTBREAK.

THE EPICENTER OF THE OUTBREAK. WE WILL WORK WITH THE STATE

WE WILL WORK WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENTDEPARTMENT TO ENSURE T

GOVERNMENTDEPARTMENT TO ENSURE T THEY WANT TO THEY CAN COME HOME.

THEY WANT TO THEY CAN COME HOME. WE WILL TAKE ALL STEPS NECESSARY

WE WILL TAKE ALL STEPS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH IN

TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TYPE OF

CONNECTION WITH ANY TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION LIKE THAT, AS

TRANSPORTATION LIKE THAT, AS ROUTED WITH THE FLIGHT OF OVER

ROUTED WITH THE FLIGHT OF OVER 200 AMERICAN DIPLOMATS, FAMILY

200 AMERICAN DIPLOMATS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND AMERICAN CITIZENS

MEMBERS, AND AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO CAME BACK YESTERDAY.

WHO CAME BACK YESTERDAY. WE WANT THEM TO RECEIVE A WARM

WE WANT THEM TO RECEIVE A WARM WELCOME.

WELCOME. WE ARE GOING TO TREAT THEM WELL

WE ARE GOING TO TREAT THEM WELL BUT TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE PUBLIC

BUT TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES TO PROTECT THE

HEALTH MEASURES TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

AMERICAN PEOPLE. >> Ed: SECRETARY ALEX AZAR HAS

>> Ed: SECRETARY ALEX AZAR HAS A BIG JOB RIGHT NOW LEADING THE

A BIG JOB RIGHT NOW LEADING THE PRESIDENT’S EFFORTS TO STAY ON