040121 – World Status Report

April 1, 2021

This report intends to give the UTD Community a snapshot of international risks, and other issues as reported by the linked official sources from the U.S. and other countries.

Please note the revision date (mmddyy) of this report, printed on the title of the post, and go to the direct sources linked for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this report may change without prior notice.

Security

The European Emergency Response Coordination Center reports on the hunger crisis in Democratic Republic of the Congo where over 27 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, and in Mozambique, where close to 3 million people face severe food insecurity.  Colombia is seeing thousands of people crossing the border from Venezuela seeking refuge, following clashes between armed groups and the Venezuelan army.

Natural Disasters

The European Emergency Response Coordination Center reports wildfires impacting various regions in Nepal and the United States.  Severe weather has caused landslides and thunderstorms in Turkey and Thailand.

COVID-19

International preventative measures against COVID-19, including entry restrictions and in-country mobility remain very fluid, and can be imposed without prior notice. Details for each country can be found in the travel advisories issued by the governments of the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia

As a notable case, Honduras is now waiving the requirement of a COVID-19 test negative result if evidence of having received a COVID-19 vaccine is presented, as reported by the UK.GOV travel advisory.  However, it appears a period of 14 days of self-isolation upon arrival is still required.

Globally, as of 31 March, Johns Hopkins University counts 128,301,662 COVID-19 cases and 2,805,972 deaths, and the WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports 127,619,612 cases and 2,791,953 deaths.

As a notable case, CNN news reports India recorded 354 COVID-19 related fatalities on Wednesday, the highest death toll reported in a single day since December 17.

Vaccinations campaigns around the world continue.  As of 30 March, Our World in Data reports that 577.92 million vaccine doses have been administered globally. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard as of 29 March reports over 514 million administered vaccine doses.

As a notable development, CNN news reports that clinical trial results show the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is 100% effective in 12-15 year olds.

Risk Levels

Countries risk levels remain high as reported by the CDC and the U.S. Department of State.

CDC COVID-19 Levels, last update on March 29

# CountriesRisk Level
154Level 4: COVID-19 Very High (avoid all travel)
22Level 3: COVID-19 High (avoid all non-essential travel)
18Level 2: COVID-19 Moderate (travelers at increased risk for severe illness, avoid all non-essential travel)
27Level 1: COVID-19 Low (take steps to mitigate risks before, during, and after travel)
24Level Unknown: COVID-19 Unknown (avoid all non-essential travel)

U.S. Department of State Levels, last update on March 30

# CountriesRisk Level
31at Level 4: Do Not Travel
155at Level 3: Reconsider Travel
22at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
3at Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

Please note the revision date (mmddyy) of this report, printed on the title of the post, and go to the direct sources linked for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this report may change without prior notice.