World Status Report

September 29, 2021

This report intends to give the UTD Community a snapshot of international risks, and other issues as reported by the linked media and official sources from the U.S. and other countries.

More health and security information 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, and the CDC, ECDC, and WHO sites. Not all advise in these sites will apply to US travelers.

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

  • Sweden. Four people were seriously hurt in an explosion and fire on Tuesday in the Swedish city of Gothenburg, and police are investigating whether an explosive device was placed at the scene (Reuters).
  • Poland. The Polish government will ask the president to extend a state of emergency on the Belarus border by 60 days (Reuters).
  • Haiti’s elections and a constitutional referendum, scheduled for the coming months, have been postponed indefinitely after the dismissal of the electoral administration, plunging the country into further uncertainty (Al Jazeera).
  • Hong Kong. A man who chanted protest slogans has pleaded not guilty to inciting secession in the second national security case to come to trial in Hong Kong (Al Jazeera).
  • Kosovo-Serbia. NATO troops stepped up patrols in Kosovo on Monday near border crossings which have been blocked by local Serbs angered by a ban on cars with Serbian license plates entering the country in a mounting confrontation (CNN on MSN).
  • Nigeria. A top security official said dozens of people were killed after gunmen staged multiple attacks in the country’s northern Kaduna and Sokota States (Al Jazeera).

Natural Disasters

  • Thailand. Since 23 September, flooding caused by heavy rain has been affecting 30 Provinces of Thailand, resulting in casualties and damage (ERCC).
  • United States. Since 22 September, a wildfire has been burning in Shasta County (north California State, western USA), resulting in injuries, displacement, and damage (ERCC).
  • Greece. An earthquake of 5.8 M occurred in Crete Island on 27 September at 06.17 UTC (09.17 local time). Media reports 1 fatality and 12 injured people, as well as houses, buildings and infrastructure damaged in the towns of Arkalochori, Archontiko, Roussochoria and Patsideros, and central Heraklion (ERCC).
  • Canary Islands. The explosive and effusive activity of Cumbre la Vieja is ongoing and two lava flows are moving towards the western coast. 300 additional people living in the relevant coastal areas have been evacuated. The no-navigation zone has been modified one mile further north considering the increased possibility that the lava flow could reach the coast (ERCC). Spain has classified the island of La Palma, which has been struck by a volcanic eruption, as a disaster zone on Tuesday, to trigger emergency subsidies and other support measures (Reuters).
  • Italy. On 26-27 September, heavy rainfall, hailstorm and strong winds were reported across most of the Tuscany Region (central-west Italy), leading to casualties and damage (ERCC).

Health

  • Afghanistan. Health workers, both public and private, who remain in Afghanistan are battling a humanitarian crisis of staggering proportions, with dwindling personnel and resources as the country’s healthcare system nears collapse (Al Jazeera).

Of note

  • The East Asia and Pacific region‘s recovery has been undermined by the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant, which is likely slowing economic growth and increasing inequality in the region, the World Bank said on Monday (Reuters).
  • United Kingdom. In recent weeks the shortage of truckers has strained supply chains and a spike in European wholesale natural gas prices tipped energy companies into bankruptcy. Retailers, truck drivers and logistics companies have warned that prices for everything from energy to Christmas gifts will have to rise (Reuters).
  • China. More than ten Chinese provinces are rationing energy (Reuters). High coal prices, rising electricity demand, and efforts by some local governments to meet Beijing’s year-end emissions-reductions targets appear to be contributing to power outages (NYT).

COVID-19

International preventative measures against COVID-19, including entry restrictions and in-country mobility remain fluid, and can be imposed without prior notice.  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. The University Vaccine Requirement Checker notes universities that require a COVID-19 Vaccine.

As notable cases:

  • Chile announced on Monday the end of a state of emergency in force since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a sign of life returning to normal following a sharp decrease in cases in the South American nation (Reuters).
  • Japan will lift a coronavirus state of emergency in all regions on Thursday for the first time in nearly six months, as the number of new cases and deaths falls and the strain on the medical system eases, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said (Reuters).
  • Australia. Sydney residents who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 risk being barred from various social activities even when they are freed from stay-at-home orders in December (Reuters).
  • Turkey will “never” close schools again despite a recent rise in COVID-19 infections and the government is mulling various methods to continue in-person education, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said (Reuters).
  • Europe. According to information provided by the University Vaccine Requirement Checker, a new tool launched recently by the education search platform, Erudera.com, a large number of universities located in several European countries currently require their students and staff to show a COVID-19 vaccination card in order to be eligible for in-person education (Schengenvisainfo).

Global cases and deaths. As of 28 September, Johns Hopkins University counts 232,476,147 COVID-19 cases and 4,759,355 deaths, and the WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports as of 27 September 231,703,120 cases and 4,746,620 deaths.

As notable cases:

  • India reported 179 COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, the smallest rise since the middle of March, taking the total to 447,373 (Reuters).
  • Mexico. Active COVID-19 cases decline 13% to 58,000 (MND)

Vaccination campaigns around the world continue. As of 27 September, Our World in Data reports 44.7% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 6.18 billion doses have been administered globally, and 26.99 million are now administered each day. Only 2.3% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports as of 27 September over 5.92 billion administered vaccine doses.

As notable cases:

  • Egypt is now providing immediate COVID-19 vaccinations at youth centres across the country without prior online registration, a step aimed at encouraging vaccinations and relieving pressure on hospitals and health units amid a fourth wave of infections (Reuters).

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.