World Status Report
June 18, 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 Hong Kong, police arrested the top editors of Apple Daily, froze its assets and raided its newsroom, in a sharp escalation of the government’s campaign against dissent (NYT). Protests against police abuse in Tunisia‘s capital have spread to several other working-class districts more than a week after violence broke out in the Sidi Hassine neighbourhood over the death of a man in police custody (AlJazeera). Ethiopia is preparing for tense, long-delayed national and regional parliamentary elections on Monday (Reuters).
Natural Disasters
Severe weather has impacted various countries resulting in displacement and damage. Flash floods and landslides in Buthan. Heavy rain, strong winds, and thunderstorms in Cameroon and Mexico. Wildfires in France (ERCC). A container ship carrying chemicals sank off Sri Lanka‘s capital on Thursday nearly a month after catching fire, raising concerns about a possible environmental disaster, officials said (NBC).
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: The European Union has reached an agreement to add the United States and several other countries and regions to the list of countries that will be allowed to travel to the block without an essential purpose (Schengenvisainfo).
Globally, as of 17 June, Johns Hopkins University counts 177,138,102 COVID-19 cases and 3,835,167 deaths, and the WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports 176,531,710 cases and 3,826,181 deaths.
As notable cases: Indonesia reports highest daily COVID-19 rise in four months with 12,600 new cases (JP). WHO warns of fresh Indonesia surge fed by virus variants (AP). The UK has recorded its highest daily total of new coronavirus infections since February – at 9,055. It comes as a study found the rapid spread of the Delta coronavirus variant has driven a 50% rise in infections in England since May (WeForum). Nine doctors have died of Covid-19 in Uganda in the last fortnight, as a devastating new wave of coronavirus infections sweeps over the country (Reuters). The COVID-19 pandemic is spiralling out of control in Afghanistan, with cases rising 2,400% in the past month, hospitals filling up and medical resources quickly running out, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Thursday (USN)
Vaccination campaigns around the world continue. As of 16 June, Our World in Data reports 2.5 billion administered vaccine doses globally. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports over 2.37 billion administered vaccine doses.
As notable cases: In poorest countries, surges worsen shortages of vaccines (AP). Australia further restricts AstraZeneca vaccine over clotting concerns (RFI). Ukraine has vaccination pace increases, with 76,538 Ukrainians vaccinated on Wednesday (Reuters). More than 350 Indonesian doctors and healthcare workers have contracted COVID-19 despite being vaccinated with Sinovac and dozens have been hospitalized, officials said, as concerns rise about the efficacy of some vaccines (CNA). Several cross-border agencies involved in a pilot program to vaccinate maquiladora workers from Mexico are hoping to expand the project (BorderReport)
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.
