041218 – World Status Report

Avoid Nonessential Travel

• Cameroon – Government of Canada and GOV.UK.  Avoid all travel to the North-West and South-West regions due to violence between armed groups and security forces and the risk of kidnapping.  There’s an increased threat of kidnap to western nationals in the north of Cameroon, including in the major cities and along the border between the Far North region and Nigeria, and the South West region.
• Egypt – Government of Canada.  Avoid non-essential travel to Egypt due to the unpredictable security situation. This advisory does not apply to the Red Sea coastal resorts of Hurghada (and its surroundings) and Sharm el-Sheikh, nor to the area from Luxor to Aswan along the upper Nile, where you should exercise a high degree of caution.
• Chad -GOV.UK. There is a heightened threat of kidnap in Chad, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin and the border areas with Sudan and the Central African Republic.

Take Enhanced Precautions

• Philippines – Government of Canada and GOV.UK. The Government of the Philippines has announced the closure of the island of Boracay to tourism for a period of six months, effective April 26, 2018.  Foreign and local tourists will be prohibited from entering the island.  Non-residents without permission from the government will not be permitted to access the island.  Residents of Boracay are permitted to remain, and will be free to leave and return during this period. The closure of commercial establishments, the ongoing construction and environmental rehabilitation operations are expected to cause significant disruptions to services. – CDC.  There is an outbreak of measles in the Philippines. Travelers to the Philippines should make sure they are vaccinated against measles with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine.
• Fiji – Government of Canada and GOV.UK.  Avoid any unnecessary travel through areas affected by Tropical cyclone Keni. Avoid travel in low-lying areas and on flooded roads. If you are travelling to Fiji, contact your airline to determine if the situation will disrupt your travel plans as flights have been disrupted. If you reside in the affected areas, you should exercise caution, monitor local news and weather reports and follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Ecuador – GOV.UK. On 4 April a home-made explosive was detonated in the town of Viche (outside the 20km exclusion zone, at 108km from San Lorenzo town), on one of the main roads connecting the highlands to the coast and various popular beach destinations. The security situation can change very quickly in Esmeraldas province. Pay close attention to warnings issued by the Ecuadorean authorities, be cautious and vigilant, and monitor travel alerts regularly.
• Peru – GOV.UK.  Unregulated tour services. Note that adventure activities like canopy/zipline, bungee jumping, paragliding, kayaking, rock climbing, have no legal framework regulating them and safety standards can vary.
• South Africa – CDC.  The United Kingdom (UK) has reported cases of malaria in UK residents who had returned from the Waterberg district municipality of Limpopo Province in South Africa. Waterberg had not previously been considered an area with malaria; however, local cases have been reported in the past. Travelers to Waterberg, including resort areas, and other areas where malaria is typically found, should take medicine to prevent malaria and take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.
• Venezuela – UN. The United Nations migration agency on Tuesday launched a regional action plan to bolster its response to massive population outflows from Venezuela, amid the worsening political and socio-economic situation in the South American country.

Recommended Reading / Viewing

• Yellow Fever Vaccine – CDC.  Find out if yellow fever vaccine is needed at your destination and plan ahead.
• UN launches initiative to improve road safety worldwide – UN. Some 1.3 million drivers, passengers and pedestrians die each year and up to 50 million are injured on the world’s roads. Traffic accidents are the number one cause of death of young people.

Prepare for an emergency as a standard step of all your travels.  Additionally,  when traveling on behalf of UT Dallas, set up your institutional safety net.  Find more information in the Traveler Best Practices webpage.

The risk information in this report is retrieved from U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and other professional sources as listed in the post. It provides general guidance for UT Dallas travelers. Please note the revision date (mmddyy) of this report, printed on the title of the post, and go to the direct sources listed for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this report may change without prior notice.