International Education > Archive > Category: World Status Report

091818 – World Status Report

September 18, 2018

When traveling on behalf of UT Dallas, set up your institutional safety net and prepare for an emergency as a standard step of all your travels.  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.

Avoid Nonessential Travel

Conflict and Terrorism

  • Syria – U.S. Department of State. Do not travel to Syria due to terrorism, civil unrest, and armed conflict. Read entire travel advisory.

Natural Disaster

  • China, Philippines, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands – GDACS. From 09/07/2018 to 09/15/2018, a Hurricane/Typhoon > 74 mph (maximum wind speed of 287 km/h) MANGKHUT-18 was active in NWPacific.
  • United States – Government of Canada. Hurricane Florence swept the U.S. East on September 13 and 14, 2018. It brought excessive rainfall and violent winds. Avoid travelling through North Carolina due to the risk of flooding. There are significant disruptions to the essential services like transportation, power distribution, water and food supply, telecommunications networks, emergency services and medical care. Avoid any unnecessary travel through the affected areas. If you reside in the affected areas, exercise caution, monitor local news and weather reports, and follow the instructions of local authorities. Contact your travel agent or tour operator to determine if the situation will disrupt your travel arrangements.
  • China – Government of Canada,  GOV.UK Typhoon Mangkhut swept China’s Guangdong province from Hong Kong south to Zhanjiang, as a category 1 typhoon, on September 16, 2018.The typhoon brought excessive rainfall and violent winds. There are significant disruptions to the essential services like transportation, power distribution, water and food supply, telecommunications networks, emergency services, and medical care. Avoid any unnecessary travel through the affected area. If you reside in the affected areas, exercise caution, monitor local news and weather reports, and follow the instructions of local authorities. Contact your travel agent or tour operator to determine if the situation will disrupt your travel arrangements.

Take Enhanced Precautions

Demonstrations

  • Maldives – Government of Canada. Presidential elections are expected to take place on September 23, 2018, making the situation particularly tense.
  • Costa Rica – Government of Canada, GOV.UK. Labour unions called for a general strike from September 10 to 14, 2018 throughout the country.  Events like these can significantly disrupt the essential services such as transportation, power distribution, water and food supply, telecommunications networks, emergency services, and medical care. Avoid large gatherings and demonstrations, which have the potential to suddenly turn violent, monitor local media, and follow the advice of local authorities.
  • Ethiopia – GOV.UK. There are protests in various areas around Addis Ababa, with large crowds gathering. The situation is currently calm but tense and may continue for some time. There is likely to be severe congestion as groups of people move around the city; avoid large gatherings and demonstrations, which have the potential to suddenly turn violent and monitor local media and follow the advice of local authorities.
  • Bahrain – GOV.UK. Ashura is an important religious occasion observed by many across Bahrain, which runs this year from 11 to 21 September. Whilst Ashura religious processions and events are expected to be peaceful, there is a possibility they could be targeted by anti-government protestors, which could lead to clashes with the police.

Crime and Social Unrest

  • Nicaragua – U.S. Department of State.  Reconsider travel to Nicaragua due to crime, civil unrest and limited healthcare availability. Read entire travel advisory.
  • South Africa – U.S. Department of State. Exercise increased caution in South Africa due to crime, civil unrest, and drought. Read entire travel advisory

Natural Disaster

  • Azores – Government of Canada. Severe rainstorms occur and can cause flooding and landslides, causing roads to become impassable and hampering the provision of essential services and communications to isolated towns and villages. Hurricanes could pass through the Azores from June to the end of November, causing excessive rainfall, violent winds and high waves. The National Hurricane Center provides additional information on weather conditions. Stay informed of regional weather forecasts, and follow the advice and instructions of local authorities. Severe windstorms occasionally occur.
  • Vietnam – Government of Canada. Typhoons usually occur between June and December and affect primarily central and northern Vietnam. These storms can result in significant loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure, and can hamper the provision of essential services. Monitor local news and weather reports, avoid disaster areas and follow the advice of local authorities.
  • Japan – Government of Canada. Typhoon Jebi passed through Japan on September 4, 2018. There remain flight disruptions at the Kansai International Airport (KIX). If you’re travelling to the affected areas, contact your airline or tour operator to determine if the situation will disrupt your travel plans. Exercise caution, monitor local news and weather reports, and follow the instructions of local authorities.
  • Guam, Northern Marianas – Government of Canada. Typhoon Mangkhut recently passed near Guam and Northern Marianas. There could be disruptions to the essential services like transportation, power distribution, water and food supply, telecommunications networks, emergency, services, and medical care. If you’re travelling to the affected areas, contact your airline or tour operator to determine if the situation will disrupt your travel plans. Exercise caution, monitor local news and weather reports, and follow the instructions of local authorities.

Health

  • Algeria – WHO. On 23 August 2018, the Algerian Ministry of Health (MoH) announced an outbreak of cholera in northern parts of the country, in and around the capital province Algiers. From 7 August to 6 September, 217 cases with cholera-like symptoms have been hospitalized, two of the patients died (CFR: 0.9%). Cases have been reported from seven provinces (Wilayas). Of these, 83 have been confirmed as Vibrio choleraeserogroup O1 Ogawa at the Institut Pasteur Algiers. More than half of the confirmed cases have been registered in Blida Province, followed by Algiers, Tipaza, Bouira, Médéa and Ain Defla.
  • French Guiana – GOV.UK. On 13 August 2018, 1 case of yellow fever was reported in a coastal area of French Guiana. There is a risk of yellow fever transmission throughout French Guiana and yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travelers from 9 months of age for personal protection. See WHO map yellow fever vaccination recommendations for the Americas 2018. Travelers should also avoid mosquito bites day and night.
  • Zimbabwe – GOV.UK. Cholera outbreak was declared in Harare by the Ministry of Health on 6 September; the situation is being monitored by the World Health Organisation.
  • Papua New Guinea – GOV.UK. The Papua New Guinea Secretary of the National Department of Health has declared an outbreak of Polio in Morobe, Madang, and Eastern Highlands provinces and Port Moresby. Cases have been confirmed in Port Moresby, Morobe and Enga provinces with reports of several more.
  • Italy – ECDC. On 11 September 2018, Italy notified through EWRS an outbreak of pneumonia in the area of Brescia. According to regional health authorities, 235 pneumonia cases have been reported between 2 and 10 September 2018. Of these cases, 12 have tested positive for Legionella. The investigation is ongoing to identify the source of this outbreak.
  • United Kingdom – ECDC. In September 2018, the United Kingdom reported two imported cases of monkeypox virus.
  • Algeria – On 10 September, the Algerian Ministry of Health reported two additional confirmed cholera cases. The place of infection from both cases remains unknown.
  • Israel – CDC. There is an outbreak of leptospirosis in northern Israel (Golan Heights). Travelers at highest risk are those exposed to contaminated fresh water (like lakes and rivers in the affected area) through activities such as swimming, wading, kayaking, or rafting.
  • Republic of Korea – WHO. On 8 September 2018, the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) National Focal Point (NFP) of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of a laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
  • West Nile virus – ECDC. Between 7 and 13 September 2018, EU Member States reported 150 human West Nile virus infections: Romania (66), Italy (34), Greece (24), Hungary (21), Austria (3) and Bulgaria (2). EU neighboring countries reported 56 cases: Serbia (24) and Israel (32).
  • Measles – ECDC. Since the previous Communicable Disease Threats Report (CDTR) published on 11 August 2018, updates were provided for 12 EU/EFTA countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. In 2018, 31 deaths were reported in EU countries.

Law and Culture

  • Peru – GOV.UK. A state of emergency for security reasons is in force in some districts of Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Junin and Cusco regions (Cusco city and Machu Picchu are not affected) and in the Apurimac-Cusco-Arequipa transportation corridor. A state of emergency gives the armed forces responsibility for law and order alongside the police. Some civil rights are suspended. If you do decide to visit any area under a state of emergency you should follow instructions given to you by military, police or other officials. There has been an increase of migration from the North entering Peru through the land border with Ecuador. A state of emergency has been declared in the Aguas Verdes and Zarumilla districts (Zarumilla province) and in Tumbes district (Tumbes province) in the Region of Tumbes due to pressure on health and sanitation services following the increased international migration from the North.

Entry Requirements

  • Ecuador – GOV.UK. Check whether you need a yellow fever certificate to enter or travel to certain areas of Ecuador, also check if you will be required to present a yellow fever certificate to travel to your next destination from Ecuador. From 12 September 2018, all tourists travelling to the Galapagos Islands will be required to have a valid health insurance policy.

Ebola News

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
    • ECDC. Over the past week, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported eight additional cases of Ebola in Beni (3), Butembo (3) and Mabalako (2).
    • CDC. There is an outbreak of Ebola in North Kivu (Kivu Nord) and Ituri provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The outbreak is in a part of the country identified by the US State Department as a “reconsider travel” zone because of armed group activity and major outbreaks of violence targeting civilians. Travelers to this area could be infected if they come into contact with an infected person’s blood or body fluids. Travelers should seek medical care immediately if they develop symptoms of fever, headache, body aches, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, rash, or red eyes during or after travel.
    • WHO. Six weeks into the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the overall situation has improved since the height of the epidemic; however, significant risks remain surrounding the continued detections of sporadic cases within Mabalako, Beni and Butembo health zones in North Kivu Province.  The public health risk was assessed to be high at the national and regional levels, and low globally.

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.