World Status Report

May 12, 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 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 South Sudan, staff at compounds of two international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) were physically assaulted by a youth group in Renk (Upper Nile State) on 10 May, impacting humanitarian assistance in the area (ERCC). While much of world’s attention is focused on the crackdown against peaceful protesters in Myanmar, the military authorities continue to commit other gross human rights violations against its own people, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday (UN News). Dozens of people have died since a wave of protests started to sweep across Colombia on 28 April (BBC). Hundreds of people observed Mothers Day in Mexico’s capital on May 10 by marching to demand authorities find their missing children. The government says that over 80,000 people have disappeared in Mexico since the country’s drug war began in 2006 (AP). Weeks of tensions in Jerusalem sharply escalated Monday as Israel carried out air strikes in Gaza in retaliation for dozens of rocket attacks by Hamas (Haaretz).

Natural Disasters

Severe weather in Oman and France has caused floods, resulting in displacement, and damage (ERCC).  In the United States forest fires have resulted in displacement and damage (ERCC).

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.  The UNWTO and IATA Destination Tracker offers relevant information on a destination status. The Timeline of EU Member States Reopening Their Borders  offers a list of opened EU countries for travelers, and dates of warned opening.

As notable cases: Malaysia announces third nationwide lockdown from May 12 to June 7, as cases soar, health system buckles and variants of concern are detected in the population (Asia Times)

Globally, as of 11 May, Johns Hopkins University counts 159,031,885 COVID-19 cases and 3,306,038 deaths, and the WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports 158,551,526 cases and 3,296,855 deaths. 

As notable cases: WHO deemed B.1.617 “a variant of concern” on Monday.  This variant that has been rapidly spreading in India (NYT). Germany has passed 85,000 deaths from coronavirus, according to the Robert Koch Institut, the national agency for disease control and prevention (CNN). The Philippines reported on Tuesday has detected its first two cases of the variant B.1.617. The cases are from two asymptomatic people without travel history to India and were workers returning from Oman and the UAE (CNN). South Africa has detected the B.1.617.2 and B.1.1.7 variants among the South African population (VOA). The number of daily new COVID-19 infections in France fell to 3,292 on Monday, the lowest figure since the start of the year, while the tally of patients in intensive care for the disease was down for the seventh consecutive day (Reuters).

Vaccination campaigns around the world continue.  As of 10 May, Our World in Data reports 1.32 billion administered vaccine doses globally. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports as of 10 May over 1.2 billion administered vaccine doses.

As notable cases: The European Commission will take further legal action against AstraZeneca over delayed shipments of its Covid-19 vaccines on Tuesday (CNN).

Risk Levels

CDC COVID-19 Levels, last update on May 10

# CountriesRisk Level
139Level 4: COVID-19 Very High (avoid all travel)
24Level 3: COVID-19 High (avoid all non-essential travel)
35Level Unknown: COVID-19 Unknown (avoid all non-essential travel)
17Level 2: COVID-19 Moderate (travelers at increased risk for severe illness, avoid all non-essential travel)
30Level 1: COVID-19 Low (take steps to mitigate risks before, during, and after travel)

U.S. Department of State Levels, last update on May 10

# CountriesRisk Level
156Level 4: Do Not Travel
39Level 3: Reconsider Travel
16Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
0Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

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.