World Status Report

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 publication date of this report, 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

In Papua New Guinea, internal conflict in the Eastern Highlands province has displaced over 1000 people, homes have been damaged, and the local hospital is closed (ERCC). Following the latest intercommunal clashes in Sudan‘s West Darfur state, nearly 2000 people sought refuge in Chad. The number of displaced people in Chad continues to increase and has recently passed 1 million (ERCC).

Natural Disasters

Over 6000 people are displaced in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines due to the ongoing volcanic activity of La Soufrière (ERCC). In Peru, heavy rain has affected several provinces, causing floods and landslides, damaging infrastructure, and displacing nearly 1000 people (ERCC).

Health

Between 1 January 2021 and 11 March 2021, the National IHR Focal Point of Saudi Arabia reported seven additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) infection, including three associated deaths (WHO).

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 notable cases: In India as cases surge, a mass exodus of workers leaving cities entering lockdowns or imposing increased mobility restrictions, and heading back home to rural areas, has experts concerned the virus could devastate poorly equipped villages as it did before (NYT). Japan is not ruling out cancelling the Olympic Games if the coronavirus situation deteriorates (WaPo).

Globally, as of 15 April, Johns Hopkins University counts 138,402,293 COVID-19 cases and 2,975,830 deaths, and the WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports as of 14 April 136,996,364 cases and 2,951,832 deaths. 

As notable cases: In Europe, more than 1 million people have now died because of covid-19, and has recorded at least 47 million cases (WaPo). In recent weeks, health experts have warned that the highly transmissible P.1 variant is “impossible to stop” and is rapidly becoming a “superspreader event” that the entire world will have to work to contain (WaPo). South America continues to be an epicenter, with cases rising sharply in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and some parts of Bolivia (PAHO).

Vaccination campaigns around the world continue.  As of 14 April, Our World in Data reports over 840 million administered vaccine doses globally. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard as of 14 April reports over 733 million administered vaccine doses.

As notable cases: Beijing’s Health Commission said in a statement on Thursday that the city has vaccinated some 12.5 million people, more than half of its population (CNN). Hong Kong is expanding its Covid-19 vaccination program to include residents aged 16 to 30, with bookings starting from April 23 (CNN). Denmark has removed AstraZeneca from its vaccination program (CNN).

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 April 12

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

U.S. Department of State Levels, last update on April 14

# Countries	Risk Level
33	Level 4: Do Not Travel
153	Level 3: Reconsider Travel
22	Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
3	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.