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

• Sudan – Heavy fighting, update (ERCC). The two sides agreed to renew a three-day truce, even though the fighting has never stopped. The previous truce allowed tens of thousands of Sudanese to flee to safer areas and for foreign nations to evacuate their citizens by land and sea. In the last 72 hours, extreme violence has escalated in El Geneina, West Darfur, resulting in loss of lives, injuries and displacement. Civilians in Sudan, including scores of internally displaced people and refugees (UN News), are scrambling for safety and suffering the disastrous consequences of the violence there, as many aid operations have been forced to pause, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
• Philippines – Mindanao armed conflict (ERCC). Gunfight and mortar shelling between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and alleged members of armed groups has occurred since 22 April 2023 in Barangays Madia and Elian, Municipality of Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao. The fighting has affected around 11,000 individuals (2,300 families). According to local reports, some houses were burnt and there were casualties.
• Foreign companies in China face growing scrutiny, pressure (Associated Press). Foreign companies are under growing pressure in China from anti-corruption, security and other investigations as President Xi Jinping’s government tightens control over business, clashing with efforts to lure back investors after the pandemic.
• Cocaine and Marijuana Fuel Ever-Higher Homicides in Costa Rica (Insight Crime). Drugs gangs battling over control of Costa Rica’s cocaine trafficking infrastructure and the domestic marijuana market are fueling an increase in violence in the country, which last year saw its highest-ever homicide rate.
• Haiti police condemn vigilante killings amid gang violence (AP News). Police pledged Wednesday to crack down on unrelenting gang violence that has paralyzed swaths of Haiti’s capital, and pleaded with Haitians to end a string of grisly vigilante killings.

Demonstrations

• Berlin sees 10th day of road blockades by climate activists (AP). Climate activists staged a 10th straight day of protests in Berlin, blocking key roads during rush hour and bringing parts of the German capital to a standstill Friday before being removed by police.
• Israel: Huge rally pushes back at judicial reform protests (BBC). Tens of thousands of Israelis have rallied in Jerusalem in support of controversial plans by the far-right government to reform the judiciary.
• France Braces for Renewed Anti-Macron Protests on Labor Day (YAHOO!News). Labor unions are looking to planned marches across France on Monday to rebuild pressure on the government over its unpopular reform of the pension system, even after President Emmanuel Macron signed the reform into law last month and as protest numbers wane.

Infrastructure

• Mexico City’s thirst for water lays bare inequalities, changing climate (Reuters). Climate change, chaotic urban growth and inefficient infrastructure have strained Mexico’s water supplies, pushing the Cutzamala System’s stores to their lowest level in 27 years. Water stress is a problem for much of the country.

Natural Disasters

• Ecuador – Severe weather, floods and landslides, update (ERCC). The number of fatalities and impacted people continues to increase following the rainy season started at the beginning of January across most parts of the country.
• Pakistan – Severe weather, floods and landslide, update (ERCC). Since the past week, heavy rainfall affected two Districts (Orakzai, and Mohmand) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (north-western Pakistan), causing floods and severe weather-related incidents that resulted in casualties and damage.
• Kenya – Floods (ERCC). Over the past few days, heavy rainfall has affected Kisumu County (south-western Kenya), causing flash floods and resulting in displacement and damage.
• Sri Lanka – Severe weather (ERCC). Localised heavy rains and thunderstorms over the past four days have affected about 1,000 people across 6 of the total 9 provinces.

Health

• Since the last update March 23 and as of March 24, close to 50k new cases of cholera, including 298 deaths, have been reported worldwide (ECDC). Cases have been reported in western, eastern and southern parts of Africa, some parts of the Middle East, South-East Asia, and two countries in the Americas in recent months.
• On April 25, media reported that one of the groups involved in the Sudanese conflict had seized the National Public Health Laboratory (ECDC) which handles samples of pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, measles, tuberculosis, and cholera. One of the main risks of this seizure is the leakage of biological or chemical materials in the environment.
• WHO warns Americas could see high rates of dengue and chikungunya this summer (Axios) The World Health Organization is warning that this summer could see alarming rates of dengue and chikungunya across the Americas. Climate change has worsened the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses in many parts of the world. Paraguay, where summer just ended, is facing what experts have called one of the worst chikungunya outbreaks in South America. At least 115 people have died in the country this year.

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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