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 Israel, tensions have risen with the erection of barricades preventing people from celebrating Ramadan at traditional prayer sites and there are worries that the situation may further deteriorate if Palestinian elections planned for 22 May 2021 are cancelled (ERCC). Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called for an immediate end to violence in Myanmar during an emergency summit on Saturday (NPR).

Natural Disasters

Severe weather has impacted Guatemala, French Guiana, Brazil and Bolivia. Heavy rain has caused floods and landslides and affected thousands of people in these countries (ERCC).

Health

Some 5.9 million people require humanitarian assistance in Somalia and the rate of malnutrition among children is critically high. Almost 2.7 million people are expected to experience severe food insecurity by mid-2021; up from 1.1 million people at the end of 2020 (ERCC). Chikungunya virus disease: Since the previous CDTR update on 26 March 2021, Brazil, Malaysia, and Thailand have reported the majority of new cases. Dengue: In 2021, the majority of cases were reported by Brazil, Vietnam, Peru, the Philippines, and Nicaragua (ECDC).

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, New Zealand, and Australia. 

As notable cases: American tourists who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to visit the European Union over the summer, the head of the bloc’s executive body said in an interview with The New York Times on Sunday (NYT). Scotland and Wales reopened restaurants, cafes, and nonessential shops on Monday, marking the next phase of a gradual relaxation of coronavirus restrictions that have been in place for months (NYT). The governments of Singapore and Hong Kong said on Monday that a travel bubble between the two would begin next month, allowing travelers on designated flights to bypass quarantine (NYT). Thailand starts stricter COVID-19 shutdown, but experts say is not enough (Reuters). Germany has implemented new Covid lockdown rules that could last until June (CNBC)

Globally, as of 26 April, Johns Hopkins University counts 147,272,345 COVID-19 cases and 3,111,298 deaths, and the WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports 146,689,258 cases and 3,102,410 deaths. 

As notable cases:  On Sunday, the world’s seven-day average of new cases hit 774,404, according to a New York Times database. A jump of 15% in two weeks, and 4% higher than the last global surge peak average in January (NYT). India’s health ministry reported almost 353,000 new cases and 2,812 deaths on Monday, and enormous funeral pyres continued to burn in the worst-affected cities (NYT). Severely strained hospitals in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, are undertaking unprecedented measures to cope with the recent surge (WaPo)

Vaccination campaigns around the world continue.  As of 25 April, Our World in Data reports over 1 billion administered vaccine doses globally. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard as of 22 April reports over 899 million administered vaccine doses.

As notable cases: South Africa is set to resume its Johnson & Johnson vaccine drive among health-care workers this week (WaPo). Pfizer announced that counterfeit vaccines were seized in Mexico and Poland, the vials are believed to contain a substance used in skin care products (The Hill). Counterfeit vaccination cards are a growing problem (NBC). Africa’s already slow vaccine drive is threatened as supplies from a stricken India are halted (NYT).

Risk Levels

CDC COVID-19 Levels, last update on April 19

# Countries	Risk Level
141	Level 4: COVID-19 Very High (avoid all travel)
17	Level 3: COVID-19 High (avoid all non-essential travel)
35	Level Unknown: COVID-19 Unknown (avoid all non-essential travel)
21	Level 2: COVID-19 Moderate (travelers at increased risk for severe illness, avoid all non-essential travel)
31	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 22 

# Countries	Risk Level
158	Level 4: Do Not Travel
37	Level 3: Reconsider Travel
15	Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
1	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.