virus in dr. ashish jha on all of this tonight. also as we come on the air, tornado watches across nine states. severe storm, damaging winds. alerts from florida to virginia. the northeast will feel this too. rob marciano on the severe storms tonight and what to expect on mother's day. the new turn tonight in the hunt for the escaped murder suspect and the corrections officer. where they found a car and what they believe because of where it was abandoned. why did it take days to connect the dots on the car? tonight, the deadly explosion in a hotel in havana, cuba. eight killed. police searching for more victims at this hour. the war in ukraine. 50 civilians, including children, evacuated tonight from the massive steel plant. and new reporting here on the u.s. intelligence that helped sink that russian ship. back here at home, the plane crashing in a houston neighborhood right next to a school, news from the scene. also tonight we have news on american jobs. the key new numbers and the coast guard son who definitely remembered mother's day this year. good evening, and it's great to have you with us as we mere the end of another week together here. and we begin tonight with the alarming prediction from the biden administration. they're now saying as many as 100 million americans could become newly infected with covid in the coming months and that the u.s. must be prepared for a surge, pleading with congress to prepare as well, with a significant increase in funding. dr. jha is here tonight and we ask him what's driving this prediction. the administration acknowledging that this prediction, this possibility, means people who have had covid before could get it again. they say the funding is needed for testing and treatment and to prepare. it comes as the omicron sub variant spreads, cases rising nationwide. hospital admissions up in at least 37 states already. in new york city tonight, transmission up nearly 33% in just ten days. and the mayor tonight here saying a return to masks may be on the table. and the other major concern tonight that the city is also watching is this rise in cases of a rare but severe hepatitis in children. more than 100 children in at least 25 states and territories. 5 deaths. some have had liver transplants. of course, the question -- is this covid related or is there another virus driving this? we ask dr. jha about that as well. but first, the warning about covid and the biden administration saying americans and congress should be prepared. abc's whit johnson leading us off tonight. >> reporter: tonight, the new dire prediction from the biden administration -- as many as 100 million newly infected americans with covid in a fall and winter surge, up to 30% of the u.s. population. that from a senior administration official, calling this one of many scenarios based on modeling, which doesn't account for the potential of a new major variant. this comes as the white house unleashes a full-court press on congress to pass more than $22 billion in covid relief funding, warning what's at stake if lawmakers remain gridlocked. >> the consequences are quite catastrophic if we do not get funding. e're not going to hs for the american people, we'll run out of treatments for the american people. we're not going to have diagnostic testing. it's a pretty bad situation. >> reporter: officials also bracing for a covid resurgence this summer. at least 37 states already seeing an increase in hospital admissions. in new york city, transmission up nearly 33% in 10 days. the city's mayor now suggesting a return to mask and vaccine mandates is on the table. >> if we switch to the next level, then we would take those actions based on that, but we're not there yet. >> reporter: all this as the cdc investigates another major health concern -- an alarming increase in cases of rare but severe hepatitis, or liver inflammation, in children. more than 100 children infected in at least 25 states and territories over the past seven months, and officials now revealing at least five deaths. health experts looking at covid among a range of potential viruss and other causes that could be driving the increase. >> the children affected are young, with a median age of 2 years, which means that most are not eligible to receive the covid-19 vaccine. covid-19 vaccination is not the cause of these illnesses. >> reporter: the cdc exploring all possibilities, but saying a leading theory is whether adenovirus could be a factor, citing a cluster of nine cases in alabama in which children infected with hepatitis also were confirmed to have adenovirus. adenoviruses are a different type of virus from coronaviruses like covid. both can cause respiratory illness. officials saying more than 90% of covid cases in the u.s. resulted in hospitalization. 14% of children receiving liver transplants. tonight, doctors stressing these cases are extremely rare but urging parents to be on the lookout for key symptoms. >> parents should not panic. it's still incredibly rare. be on the lookout for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, maybe yellowing of the skin. >> let's bring in whit. first, 100 million could be infected in a fall surge ahead. the second headline, rare hepatitis in children. and whit, so far authorities say these children aren't coming to the hospital with covid, but scientists i know are now looking at their blood to test it to see if they had a past infection of covid? >> yeah, david, they're looking at those blood samples, testing for antibodies to see if there are any sign of a past covid infection to determine a potential cause there. but again, they're looking at a variety of potential causes and viruses, including that adenovirus. it's not just children in the u.s. health officials around the world are tracking similar outbreaks. david? >> whit, thank you. we know many of you have questions at home about this new prediction, this potential for 100 million new covid cases and this alarming news on a rare but obviously serious hepatitis infecting more than 100 children. dr. jha joining us tonight. thanks for joining us on these two major health headlines tonight. first, we heard you there, your plea for more money from congress with this warning that got our attention -- as many as 100 million americans, you're predicting, could get covid in the coming months, this fall a new surge predicted, including people who might have had it before. i'm curious what's driving this forecast -- the omicron sub variants warrior already seeing the nation or variants you're seeing elsewhere throughout the world? >> thanks for having me here. each of the last two winters we have seen a large surge in infections. with waning immunity, with omicron as contagious as it is and each new version becoming more contagious, i think it stands to reason we may well get a large surge of infections, so we are doing everything to prepare for that to make sure americans are prepared and ready for the surge if it were to come. >> do we have to be prepared for variant we haven't seen in the country, for example variants we've seen in south africa already? >> what we've seen in the pandemic is variants arrive here, sometimes they arise here as well. i think between now and the fall and winter very possible we're going to see new variants and sub variants and we have to be ready for them. >> many americans exhausted. just to hear the new numbers. i'm sure you're exhausted as well. for people watching who have been vaccinated and boosted or who have had covid before, how much immunity do they have? we've all known folks who have covid are getting it again. >> i think if you have been vaccinated and boosted you have a very high degree of protection against severe illness. for people who have not gotten the vaccine or not gotten boosted, absolutely critical you do that. we don't think that prior infection alone is going to be adequate protection as we go into the summer months and as we go into the fall and winter. so vaccines remain a corner sto stone of protecting people as we go forward. >> you could get it more than once. >> absolutely we've seen it over and over again. >> let me ask you about the hepatitis cases. alarming for everyone watching this. many children too young for the vaccine. meaning this is not vaccine related. what's not known is whether the children have been infected with covid before. i know while you're looking at their blood and looking for the antibodies to get the answer to that question, you do know about a different virus that's already been connected to many of these cases? >> that's right, david. we've seen there's a form of adenovirus, a common virus kids and adults can get that's been found in high numbers in many of these kids. we don't know if that virus is causing it, if there's an interaction with a previous covid infection. a will the to sort out, but we're looking at this closely. >> bottom line, what should parents look for? >> if your child develops health problems, going seeing their pediatrician, provider early is important. what we also know is that the vaccines as they become available are incredibly safe and effective at protecting children going forward. we don't know if covid is connected to the hepatitis cases, but what we do know is covid can cause serious problems in kids and the vaccines are preventing serious illness. >> we'll be looking forward to the data. dr. jha, thank you. we move on to the other news this friday night, the sere da fact, tornado watches in nine states from florida up to west virginia. heavy rain, flash flood watch, and then the northeast. and of course what does this mean for mother's day? senior meteorologist rob marciano right here back with us tonight. hey, rob. >> hi, david. unfortunately this thing is slowing down and becoming more of a supersoaker on top of all the tornado watches you mentioned. v virginia all the way down to florida. just northwest of the quadrant are the funnel watches. this is where the soaking rains are, and a number of states involved here. the low itself is cut off from the flow, meaning it's going slow down and sit and spin. round of happy rain, chilly temperatures and gusty winds d.c., baltimore, new york saturday into sunday morning. look like it will hang around during the morning. it will be difficult to get sunshine in this part of the world for mother's day. >> but we'll celebrate them just the same. thank you, rob. to other news now, and news in the hunt for murder suspect and the officer accused of helping him escape. tonight, authorities found the getaway car and what they believe because of where it was abandoned. why did it take days to connect that car to the case? here's abc's elwyn lopez now. >> reporter: tonight, an alabama sheriff announcing authorities have found the getaway car they believe was used by accused murderer casey white and the corrections officer, vicky white, who allegedly helped him escape. >> there had been an attempt to spray paint it. >> reporter: authorities had been searching for the car for days when they were alerted tennessee police had actually found it just hours after the alleged escape. it was abandoned in the woods off a tennessee country road one week ago and towed to a local impound lot. nobody realizing it had been allegedly used in the crime. only yesterday did authorities put two and two together. the sheriff asked today if has any idea where the cople may have gone. >> did they steal another car? hitch a ride with somebody or something? we don't know. >> reporter: what they say they do know -- the inmate and the corrections officer are on the run, quote, flush with cash, after vicky white drained her bank accounts of some $90,000. bulletins now out with pictures of the 6'9" inmate's distinctive tattoos, including what looks like a confederate flag. police also releasing simulations of what vicky white might look like if she dyed her hair. as for why she allegedly did it -- >> it's obviously a jailhouse romance or something. >> tonight, the sheriff directly warning the corrections officer, she could be in danger. >> you know we're going to find you. hopefully we find you safe. if you're safe right now, feel safe, get out while you can and turn yourself in to the local authorities, wherever you're at. >> reporter: david, officials say they believd the two ditched the car due to mechanical issues. the sheriff says they're now back at square one and the investigation is behind where they'd like it to be. >> elwyn, thank you. now to that deadly explosion in cuba. at least eight dead in a landmark hotel in old havana destroyed. the walls blown away. crews searching for more possible victims. here's victor oquendo. >> reporter: tonight, the urgent search and rescue mission in cuba after this deadly blast that rocked old havana and killed at least eight people. the outer walls of the five star hotel saratoga blown out, rooms visible from the street. the blast so big, smoke seen rising in the distance. we have ople, s mys and there are still people missing. state media reporting at least 13 missing and at least 30 injured. accord to the president's account, an explosion shaking the heart of the capital. cuban officials telling the communist party newspaper there were no tourists inside the 96-room hotel because it was closed for renovations. a nearby school evacwaited. no school children were hurt. it was just last week the hotel announced they would be re-opening on may 10th. david? >> victor oquendo tonight. thanks, victor. next tonight to the war in ukraine, and to what appears to be the last stand for ukrainian fighters inside that steel plant in mariupol. russian tanks leading the assault of mariupol. 50 civilians, including 11 children evacuates from the from steel plant. abc senior foreign correspondent ian pannell from inside ukraine again tonight. >> reporter: tonight, 50 more civilians, including 11 children, were evacuated from what has been described as the hellscape of the azovstal steel plant in mariupol. this even as pro-russian forces ukrainiafighters a last stand and some 150 civilians are still cowering for their lives. details now emerging about information shared by america that helped ukraine sink the flagship of the russian sea fleet. an official telling abc news, we do provide a range of intelligence to help the ukrainians defend against potential sea based assaults, but the pentagon making it clear they had no prior knowledge of the attack and didn't provide specific targeting information. here in the northeast, the ukrainians are pushing the russians back to their own border. the war-torn outskirts of kharkiv bear the scars of the russian invaders, who don't discriminate between soldier and citizen. most of the residents who stayed behind are elderly, living underground in squalid conditions. people have been living in this dark, dank basement below their apartment building for two months now. you can see how rough and ready it is, and also frankly, how filthy it is. this is one of the living rooms in here. it's where people sleep, it's where they eat, it's where they hide, because it's too unsafe for them to go to their own homes upstairs. putin has robbed them of their homes and their dign by fighting for their lives. david, if first lady now on her way to europe to see the ukrainian refugee crisis firsthand. she's been outspoken about how moved she's been by it. she's going meet with refugees on mother's day, saying to reporters traveling with her, it's important to the president and me to know that the ukrainian people know we're standing with them. david? >> ian pannell inside ukraine for us tonight. ian, thank you. back here at home now and to the economy. the new report showing employers creating 428,000 new jobs in april. that's more than expected. and now the 12th straight month of more than 400,000 jobs. as of march there were 11.5 million job openings. that's about twice as many as unemployeed workers to fill them. another side of the competing forces, new jobs, but inflation, and new interest rates this week. the dow down more than 1000 points yesterday. dropping 98 points today. when we come back, the plane crashing into a houston neighborhood. the small plane right next to a school and what the pilot report just before going down. on a day without migraine my whole body feels free. because my eyes don't shy from the light. my head doesn't pound. and my stomach isn't nauseous. it's time for migraine prevention delivered differently, through an iv infusion. it's time for vyepti - a preventive treatment for migraine in adults. vyepti is designed to start working fast, and to last with a 30-minute iv infusion, 4 times a year delivering 100% of the medication directly into your bloodstream. the power of a vyepti infusion can help to reduce monthly migraine days. some had fewer migraine days with the very first treatment. don't take if allergic to vyepti. common side effects are allergic reactions, stuffy nose, and scratchy throat. allergic reactions include rash, swelling, trouble breathing, hives, and redness of the face. choose to infuse with migraine prevention delivered differently. talk to a neurologist or migraine specialist about vyepti. learn how you could save. my great grandmother started a legacy of education in my family. she ran for state office. had no problems breaking the norms. she had a dream and decided to pursue it. find the strong women in your family with ancestry. tonight, that small plane crash in a houston neighborhood right near a high school. all four on board survived this. the plane crashing in the backyard of a home not far from the school grounds. the pilot reporting engine trouble just after takeoff trying to get back to the airport. again, everyone survived. when we come back, news tonight, the health battle for a former star of an iconic tv show. s always on. and he's on it with jardiance for type 2 diabetes. his underhand sky serve? 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[announcer] you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit now. to the "index." former "leave it to beaver" star tony dow revealing he has cancer. 77 years old. he of course played wally cleaver. he and his wife say they're heartbroken about the diagnosis. they're not sharing specific details. when we come back tonight, the mom up tonight stage, but who is behind the curtain? oh! you're doing it wrong, man. what's wrong with action figures? nothing. capital one shopping instantly searches for available coupon codes and automatically applies them. whoa! i look good in miniature. capital one shopping. (in s.l.j. voice) what's in your wallet? hi, i'm debra. i'm from colorado. capital one shopping. i've been married to my high school sweetheart for 35 years. i'm a mother of four-- always busy. i was starting to feel a little foggy. just didn't feel like things were as sharp as i knew they once were. i heard about prevagen and then i started taking it about two years now. started noticing things a little sharper, a little clearer. i feel like it's kept me on my game. i'm able to remember things. i'd say give it a try. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. open. it's a beautiful word. neighborhoods "open". businesses "open". fields "open". who doesn't love "open"? offices. homes. stages. possibilities. your world. open. and you can help keep it that way. ♪♪ 's day on sunday. the son in the coast guard who told his mom he couldn't make her graduation, but he sure was thinking of her. >> tonight, the surprise from mom just in time for mother's day. jennifer freedman graduated from college this week. she always wanted to go back to school after raising three children. her son marcus in the coast guard told his mother because of his deployment he wouldn't be able to be there. little did she know, he was backstage. >> she has no idea that i am here right now. she thinks i am deploy in the malta right now. >> his mom jennifer was on stage posing for a photo. the surprise from her proud son. and right here tonight -- >> hi, david. >> reporter: marcus telling us about that moment. >> seeing her face, seeing her so overwhelmed with joy and glee made it the best moment that i could ever have with my mom. >> reporter: and just ahead of mother's day -- >> hello, david. >> reporter: the proud mom here with us, too. >> my son really, really surprised me. what a moment. my day -- my day couldn't get any better. >> reporter: the love from a son. >> words can't explain the deep amount of love and appreciation i have for my mother, and i love the fact that she graduated, especially during mother's day weekend, because this was one of the biggest gifts i can ever give her. >> so true. happy mother's day, jennifer, the graduate, and to all of ourg news and that breaking news isrg in the north bay authorities are investigating. deadly small plane crash in the marin headlands. it's in a back country ridge north of councilman road. this is away from roads and trails if that road sounds familiar to you. it's the road that takes you through the iconic vista points that look at the golden gate bridge in san francisco officials. say two people died in the crash and fog is now completely obscuring that area. the crash site is closed for investigation. no impact at this point to marin headlands visitor access or traffic at this time. we'll keep you posted as new details come in and without we say, good afternoon. thanks for joining us. i'm larry beale and i'm kristen zee now our other top stories several. lords are suing alameda county saying the covid eviction moratorium infringes on their constitutional rights abc 7 news reporter loose pena has been following the bay area housing crisis for many months now lose. yes, larry, i total of five bay area landlords are suing alameda county one of them you met a month ago that jane family. they rented their house in fremont to a tenant who defrauded them from the beginning giving them a fake w-2 and fake checks two months later the pandemic hit and for the past two years the covid moratorium has protected those tenants from getting evicted. we will sell one on april 7th. we met rakesh and tripti jane in tears. they told us her tenant had him paid them in two years owing them over $100,000 in rent. we are forced by the county. to keep a criminal in a home that's forward to almost a month later and now prakashian tripty along with four other small property owners are suing alameda county. i know there are people who needed this protection, but there are people who have and you advantage of this situation and city is not willing to basically county is not willing to revisit their monitorium to diffuse responsible to hold the county a