her policies led to economic turmoil. cbs' ramy inocencio with the familiar face that could replace her. and a record drought and worker shortage has one company turning to a different source of labor. >> reporter: picking strawberries is backbreaking work, but not for these robots. this is the "cbs evening news" with norah o'donnell, reporting from the nation's capital. >> o'donnell: good evening to our viewers in the west, and thank you for joining us on this busy thursday night. we want to begin with some important health news for families. in recent weeks across the country, there has been an alarming increase in illness among young children. and it's not covid. it's something called r.s.v. hospitals in at least 33 states are seeing a dramatic rise in cases of children suffering from the respiratory virus. cases have more than doubled in 25 states over the last month, and it's putting a strain on hospitals. some healthcare facilities are so overwhelmed, that they're running out of beds. the state of connecticut is even thinking about bringing in the national guard. we have a lot of news to get to tonight, and cbs' omar villafranca will start us off. good evening, omar. >> reporter: good evening. tonight, hospitals from texas to connecticut are sounding the alarm. their emergency rooms are filling up with r.s.v. patients. there is no vaccine, and doctors are bracing for a rough winter at connecticut children's medical center, doctors are slammed with the surge in r.s.v. cases. dr. john brancato says every inch of the emergency room is filled. >> we are having patients in hall beds. we're using our orthopedic room. we're using other treatment rooms as much as possible. >> reporter: r.s.v. cases typically peak in december to mid-february, but this month, the hospital has more r.s.v. cases than any other respiratory illness, including covid. >> a lot of the patients that we're seeing now are sicker, so they need immediate assessment. >> reporter: further south, almost half of the i.c.u. beds at cook children's hospital in forth worth, texas are filled with r.s.v. patients. dr. daniel guzman is treating them. >> it's going to be a rough winter. i mean, we're already seeing our numbers spike over the last few weeks with over 550 e.r. visits per day. >> reporter: four-month-old lindy is in the i.c.u. her parents, zoe and jeff green, took her to an urgent care clinic, concerned that she had more than just a common cold. >> i was like something-- something's not right. this isn't normal. she feels hot and kind of already lethargic and, you know, that's from the fever. >> reporter: r.s.v. symptoms are similar to a cold, but doctors say parents should watch for signs of respiratory distress. if their child's nostrils are flaring while breathing or if their skin is pulling in towards their ribs. >> when your child transitions into-- where they're breathing harder, or breathing faster, head bopping, call her bobbing, take some more action. call your pediatrician. >> reporter: jerri akers brought his son back to the e.r. after his symptoms got worse. >> you know your kid. trust your mom instinct. we were here on monday, but my instinct this morning was i need to go back. >> o'donnell: omar villafranca is back with us. it is hard to watch those kids who are suffering. so what parents-- what should they do? >> reporter: well, doctors are asking patients to get the flu shot. it won't prevent the flu, but it could make their symptoms milder, which could prevent them from having to make a trip to an already-busy emergency room. norah. >> o'donnell: everybody on alert. omar villafranca, thanks so much. political shock waves across the pond tonight after british prime minister liz truss resigns suddenly. just six weeks into her term, truss is stepping down after her policies sent shockwaves through the financial markets. cbs' ramy inocencio reports the next leader will be the fifth prime minister in just over six years. >> i am resigning as leader of the conservative party. >> reporter: today liz truss sealed her fate as britain's shortest serving prime minister in history-- just 44 days after the queen appointed her and two days before the monarch died. in parliament and in public the political life imploded. >> i will deliver a bold plan. >> reporter: the biggest tax cut plan in half a century would have ballooned the deficit. that spooked the markets and sent the pound plunging. she sacked her finance minister then made a massive u-turn on campaign promises. >> 20p tax cut, gone. two-year energy freeze, gone. tax-free shopping, gone. economic credibility, gone. >> reporter: just yesterday, she vowed to carry on. >> mr. speaker, i am a fighter, not a quitter. >> reporter: but today, she did just that, stepped down. this head of lettuce outlasting the premier in a tabloid stunt streamed online. president biden thanked truss. >> look, she was a good partner on russia and ukraine, and the british are going to solve thei problem. >> reporter: but britain's problems, including inflation over 10% and at a 40-year high are not disappearing. >> this was about people's mortgages, how much it cost to fill the grocery trolley. that's why the british people are pretty angry. >> reporter: and fed up with their political leaders. >> it's a cycle of rubbish, and they replace rubbish with more rubbish. >> we're basically the laughing stock of the entire world, as per usual. >> reporter: and now the race to replace liz truss is on, and the conservative party is aiming to have a successor in place as early as monday. there are even reports that boris johnson may throw his hat back into the ring. meanwhile, as for the opposition labor party, they are just clamoring for a general election. polls show that if that were to be held today, they would win in a landslide. norah. >> o'donnell: wow, quite a day there. ramy inocencio, thank you so much. back here at home, president biden is on the campaign trail in the battleground state of pennsylvania, with 19 days before the critical midterm elections. the president reminded voters of his administration's legislative victories, including the bipartisan infrastructure deal. cbs' ed o'keefe is in philadelphi. >> my staff said to me, "do you realize how many times you've been to pittsburgh?" >> reporter: the president on the stump and on the hunt today for democratic votes in the key battleground state of pennsylvania with john fetterman, who is neck and neck with republican mehmet oz. fetterman, one of the few contenders willing to be seen with the president, given his sagging poll numbers. >> i think so. it ain't over till its over. >> reporter: in the six key senate races across the country that will decide control of the chamber, the economy and inflation are among the top concerns, and nearly seven in 10 voters in a new cbs news poll think the president isn't doing enough. >> the biden administration's failed policies have created this crisis that we're in. >> reporter: polls are beginning to break in favor of republicans, so the president has spent the week pushing issues that might resonate with voters: forgiving student loans, protecting abortion rights, and lowering gas prices. but many democratic candidates in close races tonight want to be seen with the president, including senate candidate tim ryan in ohio, who is trailing republican j.d. vance. >> i'm not relying on chuck schumer or the president or anybody to come in here and boost me or give me money. we're doing it on our own. >> reporter: the president has done most of his campaigning behind closed doors at party fund-raisers, as he will tonight with fetterman. democratic congressman brendan boyle said candidates shouldn't be avoiding the president given his accomplishments. >> we elected democrats have a damn good record to run on. we shouldn't run away from it. >> reporter: now, while many democrats may be nervous about campaigning with president biden, they're quite eager to be seen with the first lady, jill biden. who has been out on the trail. and in the coming weeks, it's the former president, barack obama who will be the top headliner for democrats. norah. >> o'donnell: ed o'keefe in philadelphia for us tonight, thank you. overseas, ukrainians are facing another night of rolling blackouts following russia's targeting of its power grid. officials say there have been more than 300 missile and drone attacks on ukraine's energy facilities in the past 10 days. cbs' holly williams reports tonight from kyiv. >> reporter: how are you? >> i'm good. >> reporter: vitali klitschko is the mayor of kyiv, a former world heavyweight champion and a symbol of ukraine's resistance. >> they tried to destroy our critical infrastructure. they want to make our citizens freezing in the winter, without heating, without electricity, water. >> reporter: he's talking about this: a new wave of russian strikes that ukraine stays has targeted 45 energy facilities, destroying 30% of its power stations in just over a week. the government's warned of rolling blackouts as the frigid winter approaches. yet the people of this nation appear as stoic as ever. kyiv's subway has served as a bomb shelter for civilians during russian attacks. but this morning, we found it packed with busy commuters getting on with life in the face of a vicious invasion. >> we will win soon. >> it's our dream. it must come true. >> reporter: this is the javelin anti-tank missile? >> yes. >> reporter: mayor klitschko says vladimir putin's strategy is backfiring. >> our people are angry. it's our future. it's our home. >> reporter: they're making you more determined. >> it's true. >> reporter: the u.s. says it has information that troops from iran are on the ground supporting russian drone attacks here in ukraine. as you know, norah, ukraine claims that russia has ordered nearly 2,500 so-called kamikaze drones from iran. >> o'donnell: holly williams, thank you. well, there is shock and sadness tonight at princeton university after a worker at the school made a tragic discovery. the body of missing student misrach ewunetie was found behind the campus tennis courts. officials say there were no obvious signs of injury or foul play. the 20-year-old from ethiopia was reported missing nearly a week ago after she didn't show up for an appointment for her u.s. citizenship application. storm victims in florida are facing a new health hazard in the aftermath of hurricane ian. there are warnings of a potentially deadly bacteria in the water. cbs' manuel bojorquez reports tonight from the storm zone. >> reporter: more than three weeks after hurricane ian devastated parts of southwest florida, its dangers persist, this time in the form of a bacteria called vibrio vulnificus, which lives in brackish waters and can enter the skin through open wounds, causing the skin to break down, which is why some call it a flesh-eating bacteria. it can be treated with antibiotics, but spreads quickly and causes death in one of every five people infected. leah delano's fiancee, jim hewitt, traveled from michigan to naples, florida, to help a friend after the storm, but a wound to his leg after falling into water became infected, and within a matter of days, hewitt was gone. jim came down out of the goodness of his heart to help people, and ended up losing his life. >> yeah. it's-- it's been very, very difficult. he really wouldn't have preferred to go any other way, though. he was always helping people. >> reporter: so far this year in florida, there have been 65 reported cases and 11 deaths from the infection. officials say overall, 28 cases and seven deaths are directly connected to the hurricane. there's debris scattered all around us. kristine hollingsworth is with the florida department of health in collier county, where jim hewitt contracted the bacteria. what's your message to the community about this bacteria? >> if you have an open cut, sore, or wound, first symptoms would be pain, soreness, and redness around the area. seek medical attention immediately. >> reporter: awareness about potential infections is especially important here because there's still so much cleanup to be done. officials are reinforcing their message, urging people to stay out of the water and closing some beaches. norah. >> o'donnell: an important warning. manuel bojorquez, thank you. turning now to the economy and your kitchen table. california produces about 90% of the nation's strawberries, but severe drought and worker shortages are now threatening the fruit. cbs' carter evans reports help has arrived in tonight's "eye on america." >> reporter: picking strawberries can be backbreaking and tedious, but not here. >> someone will eat that in a couple of days, so, pretty exciting. >> reporter: and they had no idea it was picked by a robot. one that works in a hydroponic field, a method of farming that can use up to 90% less water, and in the midst of california's mega-drought, that could be a game changer. >> with increasing pressures on water, on labor, and on chemical regulation, innovative growers are now putting these in and getting better and better at them. >> reporter: eric adamson's company is behind a strawberry robotic revolution. >> people think robots, they've been around forever, but they're actually very, very new, especially robots that make decisions and are autonomous. >> reporter: yes, they're programmed to think on their own, with cameras that sense texture and color. >> it really wants the one in the middle. >> reporter: it got it. >> that's a beautiful pick! >> reporter: as good as they are-- >> no, this is fatal. >> reporter: they're hardly fool-proof. >> we expect to make mistakes. and we expect things will break. >> reporter: adams says the robots now pick with 90% accuracy. >> we're designing them to be co-robots. they're not replacing people's jobs. we're teaching people, some of them farm workers themselves. >> reporter: did you know anything about robots before? >> no, not at all. >> reporter: jean paul rodriguez used to work in the fields. >> your back hurts. >> reporter: today, he manages the robots picking strawberries. >> they're always doing the job. i'm like, i'm cool. >> that way we can create jobs with higher wages and with higher skill development. >> reporter: all as the robots themselves are getting more highly skilled, and not just in picking strawberries. >> we hope to have hundreds and hundreds of robots around the world's leading farms, picking table grapes, peppers, cucumbers, blackberries, raspberries. >> reporter: robots taught to think. incredible, if not a bit unsettling. >> you'll watch it picking and you're like, no, no, no, why are you doing that? okay, no, you knew better than me. so well done. >> reporter: for "eye on america," i'm carter evans in santa maria, california. >> o'donnell: and coming up, a tragic accident at a gun range has claimed the life of a u.s. customs agent. the new details when we return. i was always the competitive one in our family... 'til my sister signed up for united healthcare medicare advantage. ♪wow, uh-huh♪ now she's got a whole team to help her get the most out of her plan. ♪wow, uh-huh♪ with coverage that's better than ever for dental... ...vision... ...prescription drugs and more. advantage: me! can't wait 'til i turn 65! aarp medicare advantage plans, only from unitedhealthcare. take advantage now at uhc.com/medicare ♪♪ this is how it feels to du more with less asthma... ...thanks to dupixent. dupixent is not for sudden breathing problems. it's an add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. and can help improve lung function for better breathing in as little as two weeks. dupixent helps prevent asthma attacks... and can even reduce or eliminate oral steroids. imagine that. ♪♪ dupixent can cause allergic reactions that can be severe. get help right away if you have rash, chest pain, worsening shortness of breath, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor about new or worsening joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma medicines, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. who knows what you can do when you du more with less asthma. ask your asthma specialist about dupixent. are you tired of washing dishes? well flip the way you clean'em with dawn platinum ez-squeeze. it's an upside-down bottle with no cap. you just grab and squeeze. dawn platinum's more powerful formula breaks down and removes grease 4 times faster. nice! no flip, no mess. platinum is also a go-to grease cleaner for your sink, your countertops, and to pre-treat stains on laundry. fast. easy. dawn platinum ez-squeeze. flip the way you clean dishes. >> o'donnell: there are new details tonight in the deadly shooting of a u.s. customs agent at a gun range in south florida. law enforcement sources tell cbs miami news partner "the miami herald" jorge arias was accidentally shot and killed by a fellow agent while they were role playing during a training class wednesday. sources tell the paper the agent who shot arias in the chest had mistakenly replaced his training pistol with his loaded handgun. tonight, the e.p.a. is investigating whether officials in mississippi discriminated against black people by refusing to improve the water system in the state capital. more than 150,000 people in jackson were under a boil water alert for nearly two months this summer, after harmful bacteria was found in the tap water. then in august, floods knocked out one of the city's water treatment plants. there's a new warning for parents to check their children's halloween candy after a disturbing discovery at a major u.s. airport. that story when we return. time. it's life's most precious commodity, especially when you have metastatic breast cancer. when your time is threatened, it's hard to invest in your future. until now. kisqali is helping women live longer than ever before when taken with an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant... in hr+, her2- metastatic breast cancer. kisqali is a pill that's proven to delay disease progression. kisqali can cause lung problems, or an abnormal heartbeat, which can lead to death. it can cause serious skin reactions, liver problems, and low white blood cell counts that may result in severe infections. tell your doctor right away if you have new or worsening symptoms, including breathing problems, cough, chest pain... a change in your heartbeat, dizziness, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdomen pain, bleeding, bruising, fever, chills, or other symptoms of an infection, a severe or worsening rash, are or plan to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. avoid grapefruit during treatment. your future is ahead of you, so it's time to make the most of it with kisqali. because when you invest in yourself, everyone gets the best of you. [ sneezing ] are you okay? because when you invest in yourself, oh, it's just a cold. if you have high blood pressure, a cold is not just a cold. coricidin is the #1 doctor recommended cold and flu brand. specially designed for people with high blood pressure. be there for life's best moments. trust coricidin. my moderate to severe plaque psoriasis... the tightness, stinging... the pain. emerge tremfyant®. with tremfya®, most people saw 90% clearer skin at 16 weeks. the majority of people saw 90% clearer skin even at 5 years. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge tremfyant®. with tremfya®... ask your doctor about tremfya® today. >> o'donnell: tonight, five former workers at a daycare center in hamilton, mississippi, are facing criminal charges. we want to warn you, video showing the workers terrorizing children is disturbing. four women, all in their 20s, were charged with felony child abuse after video surfaced showing them wearing a ghost mask as terrified children shriek and cry. a fifth worker is charged with misdemeanor assault and failing to report the abuse. a security check at l.a.x. airport in los angeles led to a disturbing discovery-- 12,000 suspected fentanyl pills were found inside what appear to be bags and boxes of skittles, whoppers, and sweet tarts. the seizure of the deadly drugs prompted officials to warn parents to check their children's halloween candy after trick-or-treating this year. and we will be right back with a road trip for the ages. in america. ble 5g nk (julian) i'm listening. (cecily) you even get a free 5g phone on them. (julian) sweet. (cecily) so now, whether you're in the city or on the road... (julian) reception. (cecily) and getting the network you want and a brand new phone... (julian) touchdown! (cecily) whoa! touchdown! (vo) switch now and get the new google pixel 7 pro, on us. only on the network america relies on. verizon. covid-19. some people get it, and some people can get it bad. and for those who do get it bad, it may be because they have a high-risk factor. such as heart disease, diabetes, being overweight, asthma, or smoking. even if symptoms feel mild, these factors can increase your risk of covid-19 turning severe. so, if you're at high risk and test positive, don't wait. ask your healthcare provider right away if an authorized oral treatment is right for you. ♪♪ giorgio, look! the peanut butter box is here. ralph, that's the chewy pharmacy box with our flea and tick meds. it's not peanut butter. ♪ the peanut butter box is here ♪ i'm out. pet prescriptions delivered to your door. chewy. pet prescriptions delivered to your door. in a recent clinical study, patients using salonpas patch reported reductions in pain severity, using less or a lot less oral pain medicines. and improved quality of life. that's why we recommend salonpas. it's good medicine. you founded your kayak company because you love the ocean- not spreadsheets. you need to hire. i need indeed. indeed you do. indeed instant match instantly delivers quality candidates matching your job description. visit indeed.com/hire marcia has sleep apnea and her struggles with cpap had me sleeping in the guest room. now she's got inspire. no mask. no hose. just sleep. now i'm back. and we're back. inspire. learn more at inspiresleep.com research shows that people remember ads with young people having a good time. so to help you remember that liberty mutual customizes your home insurance, here's a pool party. look what i brought! liberty mutual! they customize your home insurance... so you only pay for what you need! ♪young people having a good time with insurance.♪ ♪young people.♪ ♪good times.♪ ♪insurance!♪ only pay for what you need. ♪liberty liberty. liberty. liberty.♪ moderate to severe eczema still disrupts my skin. despite treatment it disrupts my skin with itch. it disrupts my skin with rash. but now, i can disrupt eczema with rinvoq. rinvoq is not a steroid, topical, or injection. it's one pill, once a day, that's effective without topical steroids. many taking rinvoq saw clear or almost-clear skin while some saw up to 100% clear skin. plus, they felt fast itch relief some as early as 2 days. that's rinvoq relief. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal, cancers including lymphoma and skin cancer, death, heart attack, stroke, and tears in the stomach or intestines occurred. people 50 and older with at least one heart disease risk factor have higher risks. don't take if allergic to rinvoq, as serious reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant. disrupt the itch and rash of eczema. talk to your doctor about rinvoq. learn how abbvie can help you save. >> o'donnell: finally tonight, america's national parks are considered some of the most beautiful places on earth. cbs' meg oliver introduces us to a grand duo who just had to see for themselves. >> this is beautiful. >> reporter: joy ryan and her grandson, brad ryan, are on the adventure of a lifetime. >> our journey began when i found out that my grandma, in her 80s, had never been to the mountains. >> reporter: so ryan set out to bring his grandma from southeast ohio to visit all 63 national parks. >> it seemed like an impossible dream once, but everything i have done with her-- white water rafting. she was 91 when we did class three rapids in alaska. >> reporter: how was the whitewater rafting? >> it was fun. i had the best time. it was like being on a roller coaster. i love roller coasters. >> reporter: it started with a trip to the great smoky mountains sleeping on air mattresses. there aren't too many 92-year- olds i think sleeping on air mattresses. how does it feel? >> i didn't keep on. i fell off. i said the heck with it, i'm going to sleep on the ground. >> reporter: after seven years of excursions, they will complete their mission next april at the national park of american samoa. what does this journey mean to you? >> it meant to go out and broaden my horizons and see all the beautiful things that i only dreamed about. >> reporter: a dream come true. meg oliver, cbs news, new york. >> o'donnell: and a wonderful grandson. that's tonight's "cbs evening news." and remember, if you can't watch us live, set your d.v.r. so you can watch us later. i'm norah o'donnell. good night. us later. [school bells] when pain says, “i'm here,” i say, “so are they.” ♪♪ aleve - who do you take it for? okay care coalition, alaska airlines is still frontrunner for most caring airline. funshine bear, you did some of your own research, right? i sure did. ♪ according to the web, their program's number one, ♪ ♪ earning alaska miles is quicker and more fun! ♪ cute! ooh, that was wonderful, sweetie! oh, oh, oh, i have a song about their cheese plates. ♪ cheese please! cheese please! cheese please! cheese please! ♪ uh- it's time for lunch. aw... ♪ ♪