081319 – World Status Report

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

• Pakistan – GOV.UK – The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to the areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province formerly known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the districts of Charsadda, Kohat, Tank, Bannu, Lakki, Dera Ismail Khan, Swat, Buner and Lower Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the city of Peshawar and districts south of the city, including travel on the Peshawar to Chitral road via the Lowari Pass, northern and western Balochistan Province, travel on the Karakoram Highway between Islamabad and Gilgit, the immediate vinicity of the Line of Control.

Law and Culture

• India – GOV.AU – Do not travel to the cities of Srinagar and Jammu along with other parts of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. On 5 August, the Government of India announced constitutional changes that will affect the internal political status of Jammu and Kashmir. A heightened Indian security presence is now in place, with additional restrictive measures applying to public gatherings, and internet and telecommunications services. Monitor local media and follow the advice of local authorities.

Take Enhanced Precautions

Conflict and Terrorism

• Afghanistan – UNNews – According to media reports, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the deadly car bomb attack on a police station. At least 14 people are believed to have been killed in the explosion, and nearly 150 injured.
• India – UNNews – The UN Secretary General António Guterres appealed for ‘maximum restraint’ over the territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, which has been disputed by India and Pakistan, since the end of British rule in the late 1940s.
• Yemen – UNNews – Armed groups affiliated with the Al Qaeda and ISIL terror groups, appear to have intensified their activities in Yemen, Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) declared on Tuesday, describing the situation as an example of “deeply worrying developments” that have seriously impacted civilians over the past ten days.

Crime and Social Unrest

• Guinea – GOV.UK – Local elections took place on 4 February 2018. Following the elections, outbreaks of violence, including some fatalities, occurred across the country. You should monitor local and international media reports and avoid large demonstrations or rallies (both political and nonpolitical), particularly those close to military barracks. “Villes mortes” (general strikes) do happen intermittently and you should be particularly vigilant when these occur.
• Hong Kong – GC.CA, GOV.AU, GOVT.NZ – Exercise increased caution in Hong Kong due to civil unrest.  Since June 9, 2019, several large scale political demonstrations have taken place on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon, in various suburbs in the New Territories, and at the Hong Kong International Airport. Although many protest sites are made public in advance, authorized and unauthorized demonstrations can take place with little or no notice. They can quickly spread to surrounding areas, including those frequented by tourists. Expect road closures and disruptions to traffic and transportation in affected areas. During recent protests, bus routes, MTR stations, the Hong Kong Macao Ferry Terminal, the Airport Express and the Hong Kong International Airport, and other businesses have temporarily suspended operations, sometimes without warning. The security situation around large gatherings could change quickly. Acts of violence occur, especially at night, on weekends and public holidays. Some have resulted in serious injuries.  Attacks on protestors have become less predictable and are expected to continue. Clashes between security forces and demonstrators have taken place. Local authorities have used tear gas and other crowd control measures. Police have often reacted more swiftly and severely to unauthorized protests. There have also been random attacks on demonstrators by their opponents. We strongly recommend you avoid large public gatherings. Monitor local media and follow the advice of local authorities.
• Nigeria – GC.CA – There is a risk of heightened tensions across the country, specifically in Abuja and Kaduna. Regular protests have taken place in central Abuja and other cities since July 2019 and they are expected to continue in August. These protests may turn violent.

Demonstrations

• Chile – GOV.UK – On 10 and 11 August 2019, anti and pro immigrant marches are scheduled to take place in downtown Santiago, including Plaza Italia. If you have to travel to the area you should remain vigilant at all times and follow the advice of the local authorities.
• Kyrgyzstan – GOV.UK, GC.CA – Since an operation to arrest former President Atambayev there have been a number of demonstrations and acts of civil disturbance, including some with violent elements in and around Bishkek. Large gatherings and clashes took place in the village of Koy Tash on August 8, 2019, leading to a number of injuries. While political tensions remain it is possible there will be further demonstrations and disturbance in the capital, though incidents may also occur in other parts of the country. You should remain vigilant, avoid all demonstrations and continue to monitor travel advice and local media reporting for updates on any further developments.
• Malawi – GC.CA – Large scale demonstrations have been taking place in Lilongwe and elsewhere in Malawi following the Presidential election held on May 21, 2019. Related vandalism, robberies, muggings and lootings have been taking place throughout Lilongwe. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation.
• Peru – GC.CA – Since August 5, 2019, there have been demonstrations against the Tía María Mining Project in Arequipa. Clashes between demonstrators and the police have occurred and demonstrators have attacked passersby and transportation vehicles. There is a heavy police presence at the Arequipa main square to prevent disruptions and damage to property. Several main roads, including those to and from the Arequipa Airport are blocked. Bus services from Arequipa to Lima, Tacna, Puno and Cusco have been suspended. Avoid areas where road blocks are taking place as well as areas with a heavy demonstrator presence.
• Poland – GOV.UK – The Equality March took place in Plock on Saturday 10 August. While most Pride events in Poland are also trouble free, there have been incidents involving counter protests which have turned violent. You should follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Portugal – GOV.UK – Portuguese fuel tanker drivers are threatening strike action from 12 August for an unspecified period. If you’re travelling to Portugal over the coming weeks, be aware that the strike may cause disruption to travel and other non essential services.

Health

• Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Serbia – ECDC – From 2 to 8 August 2019, EU Member States reported 13 human cases in Greece (9), Italy (2) and Cyprus (2). This week, the first case in EU neighbouring countries was reported by Serbia (1). All human cases were reported from areas that have been affected during previous transmission seasons. One death was reported by Greece this week.
• Japan – CDC -Rubella also called German measles, is a disease spread by the coughs and sneezes of infected people. Symptoms include rash and fever for 2–3 days. Rubella is very dangerous for a pregnant woman and her developing baby. If a pregnant woman gets rubella virus, her baby could have birth defects such as deafness, cataracts (blurred vision), heart defects, mental disabilities, and organ damage. Health officials in Japan have reported an outbreak of rubella. Most cases continue to be reported in the Kanto region (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama).
• Venezuela  – CDC – There has been a breakdown of the medical infrastructure in Venezuela. There are shortages of food, water, electricity, medicine, and medical supplies that have contributed to an increasing humanitarian crisis affecting much of the country. Adequate health care is currently not available through the public health system in Venezuela. For this reason, in addition to crime and civil unrest, the US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens.
• Yemen – CDC – There is a widespread cholera outbreak in Yemen. From October 2016 to June 2019, more than 1.8 million cholera cases and over 3,500 deaths have been reported. Twenty one of the country’s 23 governorates have reported suspected cases. Public health officials are responding by establishing treatment facilities, training healthcare workers, providing medical supplies, purifying water, and deploying staff trained to detect and respond to cases quickly.

Law and Culture

• India – GC.CA – On August 5, 2019, the Government of India announced constitutional changes that will affect the internal political status of Jammu and Kashmir. Security forces have increased their presence. Internet and telecommunications services have been temporarily suspended in several areas. Movement restrictions may be put in place without notice. Monitor local news and follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Pakistan – GC.CA – On August 5, 2019, the Government of India announced that it is changing the constitutional status of Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, tensions between the governments of India and Pakistan over the disputed territory have increased. Movement restrictions in the Pakistan administered Kashmir may be put in place without notice. Monitor local news and follow the instructions of local authorities.

Natural Disaster and Climate

• Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia – UNDispatch – The Horn of Africa region, which includes parts of Somalia, Kenya,  Ethiopia, is experiencing a severe drought. This region has been particularly vulnerable to droughts in recent years but the situation this summer has become increasingly dire and is raising the prospect of a widespread humanitarian emergency.
• India – GC.CA – Heavy rains have caused flooding in parts of the states of Karnataka and Kerala. Landslides have occurred in some areas. Disruptions to essential services, especially transportation and power distribution, may take place in affected areas.
• Greece – GOV.UK – On 10 August the Greek authorities reported a wildfire in Elafonisos in the Pelaponessus. They are evacuating nearby campsites and hotels. The authorities have raised the wildfire alert to red alert.
• China – GOV.UK – Typhoon Lekima is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to coastal regions south of Shanghai from Friday 9 August. The typhoon may create some disruption to transportation and telecommunication networks. In addition, essential services including power supplies, food and water, medical care and emergencies services may be affected. If you’re in these areas, you should monitor local and international weather updates and follow the advice of local authorities, including any evacuation orders.

Ebola News

• Democratic Republic of Congo – ECDC – Since the previous CDTR and as of 7 August 2019, WHO and the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have reported 74 additional confirmed cases. During the same period, 44 deaths were reported. Among the new reported cases in the past week, at least one was a healthcare worker.
• Democratic Republic of Congo – WHO, CDC  – The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continued this week with similar transmission intensity to recent weeks with an average of 86 cases per week (range 80 to 91 cases per week) in the past six weeks. There are currently no confirmed cases of EVD outside of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the 21 days from 17 July through 6 August 2019, 65 health areas within 16 health zones reported new cases. During this period, a total of 257 confirmed cases were reported, with the majority coming from the health zones of Beni and Mandima . The majority of recent cases in Mandima Health Zone were reported from the northern health areas of Somé  and Mayuano. Of the eight cases reported in Mambasa Health Zone in the past 21 days, the majority have epidemiological links to Somé Health Area, with limited local transmission in Mambasa thus far.
• Rwanda – GC.CA – The Rwandan Ministry of Health has established procedures for travellers wishing to enter the country from areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) affected by the Ebola virus disease. This includes health care and humanitarian workers and volunteers. Among other things, they are subject to a quick thermal scanner screening. You should inform the Rwandan Ministry of Health in advance of your intention to travel to Rwanda. You may be subject to a 21 day quarantine period before your travel to Rwanda. Follow instructions of local authorities if you are travelling to Rwanda from the DRC.

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.