World Status Report

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

• The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has voiced concern over the deepening crackdown in Tunisia (UN News) targeting perceived political opponents of President Kais Saied as well as civil society.
• Kenya to deploy army as bandits kill over 100 (BBC). Kenya’s President William Ruto has ordered the army to join a security operation against armed bandits in the northern Rift Valley region who have killed dozens of people in recent months.
• Russian forces bombarded Ukrainian troops (Reuters) and towns along the frontlines in eastern Donetsk region in what appeared to be early salvoes of a new offensive as Western allies met in Brussels to plan stepped-up supplies to the Kyiv government.

Demonstrations

• Spain health workers hold huge Madrid protest over state of health system (Reuters) Hundreds of thousands of Spain’s health workers protested in Madrid on Sunday over what they say is the destruction of the public health system by the conservative regional government.

Infrastructure

• End of January, Peruvian authorities declared a food security emergency in Lima (ERCC). Ongoing road blockades across the country linked to protests and the partial or total closure of markets in various departmental capitals are placing great strain on food supply chain logistics.
• Following the earthquake in southern Türkiye on 6 February, a dam collapsed in north-western Syria (ERCC), causing the overflow of the Orontes River, as recorded by UN OCHA. The flood event led to the displacements of people.
• Concerns mount over a public health breakdown in northwest Syria (Devex) In the wake of the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey on Feb. 6, it’s unclear how many health facilities were damaged, but there are grave concerns rebel-held northwest Syria’s public health systems could be on the brink of collapse. The health systems in the country’s northwest have been “pulverized” from the 12 years of conflict, said Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Programme, during a press conference on Sunday. This has included physical damage to infrastructure and the exodus of health workers. 

Natural Disasters

• Heavy rainfall continues to affect eastern South Africa, Eswatini, and southern Mozambique (ERCC), causing extensive flooding and resulting in humanitarian impact.
• Heavy rainfall related to post-tropical cyclone GABRIELLE has been affecting northern New Zealand (ERCC), with extensive floodings and landslides.
• New Zealand declared a national state of emergency (Reuters) for only the third time in its history as Cyclone Gabrielle caused widespread flooding, landslides and huge ocean swells, forcing evacuations and stranding people on roof tops.
• Rising seas pose “unthinkable” risks to billions around the world (UN News), with profound implications for security, international law, human rights and the very fabric of societies, senior officials told the Security Council on Tuesday, as members held their first-ever debate on the phenomenon’s global implications.

Health

• The World Health Organization (WHO) deployed experts to Equatorial Guinea this week (UN News) following confirmation of the first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the country. The outbreak was confirmed following the deaths of nine people in Kie Ntem Province, located in western Equatorial Guinea. The deaths reportedly occurred between 7 January and 7 February, according to media reports.

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.

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