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

Over 5,000 Congolese have newly arrived in Uganda during the month of June, fleeing conflict and violence in Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (ERCC). Israeli aircraft bombed a Hamas weapons-manufacturing site in response to incendiary balloons launched from Gaza, Israel’s military said. No casualties were immediately reported. Egypt and the United Nations have increased their efforts to mediate between Israel and Hamas (SWI). A bridge serving as a vital food supply route to Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region has been destroyed, aid groups said. The cause of the destruction was not immediately clear, but it hampers aid to a region facing famine conditions (AP). Russia has signaled that it intends to veto a Security Council resolution allowing that last remaining border crossing with Syria to stay open. Unless an agreement is reached that border crossing will close on July 10, cutting off the last lifeline for millions of people in Idlib, Syria. A humanitarian calamity will follow (UN Dispatch).

Natural Disasters

Heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms have been affecting north-western Pakistan resulting in casualties and damage. Heavy rain has been affecting central Honshu Island, Japan over the past 72 hours, triggering massive landslides and mudslides that have resulted in casualties and damage. The passage of ELSA over the Windward Islands, south-western Dominican Republic and south-western Haiti on 2-5 June, has caused fatalities and damage. A forest fire broke out on 3 July in central-southern Cyprus, affecting an area of around 5,000 ha, and resulting in casualties. Madagascar is experiencing its worst drought in 40 years. The combined effects of the drought, the low agricultural productivity, the impact of COVID-19 and a lack of essential food staples in the market, have resulted in a deteriorating food security situation (ERCC).

Health

On 24 June 2021, the media, quoting official authorities, reported a third case of monkeypox in North Wales, United Kingdom. All three cases are in members of the same household.  Since the previous update published on 2 June, and as of 29 June 2021, one new MERS-CoV case has been reported by Saudi Arabian health authorities.  In 2021, the majority of chikungunya cases were reported by Brazil, India, Belize, Malaysia, and Cambodia.  In 2021, the majority of dengue cases were reported by Brazil, Peru, Vietnam, Réunion (France), and the Philippines (ECDC). 400,000 in Tigray, Ethiopia cross ‘threshold into famine’, with nearly 2 million on the brink (UN News).

COVID-19

International preventative measures against COVID-19, including entry restrictions and in-country mobility remain 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:  Australia considering whether to extend a stay-home order in Sydney beyond July 9 (Reuters). Norway’s prime minister Erna Solberg said the country’s reopening will be delayed, fearing the spread of the Delta variant will cause a fourth wave (Guardian). Wearing a face covering is set to become a personal choice in England, with almost all other restrictions set to be lifted on 19 July (Reuters).

Global cases and deaths. As of 05 July, Johns Hopkins University counts 183,895,036 COVID-19 cases and 3,979,238 deaths, and the WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports 183,368,584 cases and 3,975,503 deaths.

As notable cases: From 24 June to 1 July 2021, several increases in SARS-CoV-2 cases were detected linked to attendance to the championship UEFA EURO 2020 matches, with a potential public health impact to host and participating countries (ECDC). Indonesia reports record daily number of COVID-19 cases and deaths (Reuters). Health service buckling as third coronavirus wave fuelled by Delta variant sweeps across South Africa (Guardian). A crippling third wave of COVID adds to Afghanistan‘s woes In recent weeks, there’s been an exponential rise in cases, even with limited testing (NPR). Fiji is reporting record rises in COVID-19 cases, with the mortuary at the country’s largest hospital now full, its health ministry said today (Reuters). Confirmed COVID-19-related deaths in Brazil have passed 524,000, with 830 new deaths announced yesterday (Reuters). World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned in a media briefing on Friday that “we are in a very dangerous period of this pandemic”. The emergence of the Delta variant, low vaccination coverage in many countries and potential further mutation of the virus all pose risks (WHO).

Vaccination campaigns around the world continue. As of 04 July, Our World in Data reports 24.3% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 3.22 billion doses have been administered globally, and 35.39 million are now administered each day. Only 1% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports over 2.98 billion administered vaccine doses.

As notable cases:  Israel’s COVID advisory committee to recommend booster for immunocompromised (JPost). South Korea in talks with mRNA vaccine makers to make up to 1b doses (Reuters). The German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) said Thursday that people who receive a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine “should get an mRNA vaccine as their second dose, regardless of their age.” (CNN).

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.