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 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues to warn of the potential nuclear threat in the Ukraine conflict (UN News) amid rising tensions surrounding the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and insufficient personnel numbers.
• The UN Children’s Fund is calling for an urgent increase in funding to help tackle an escalating number of cases of sexual violence (UN News) against children and women in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu province, where armed groups proliferate amidst heavy fighting in recent months.
• The decision by El Salvador to extend a state of emergency aimed at cracking down on gangs undermines the right to fair trial, three experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said on Monday (UN News). In September 2022, official figures indicated some 58,000 people had been detained. An Executive Decree issued six months later put the number at “more than 67,000”. Information received indicates that many of these detentions are arbitrary, and some constitute short-term enforced disappearances, according to the experts. 
• As heavy fighting continues in Sudan, UN humanitarians warned on Friday that more than one million people have now been forced to flee for their lives (UN News). A wave of deadly attacks reportedly targeted West Darfur’s capital, El-Geneina, in recent days, while the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than 700 people had been killed and nearly 5,300 injured nationwide, after five weeks of intense clashes and bombardment.
• Cattle raids resurface along the Kenya-Uganda border threatening a 15-year-old peace accord (NTV Kenya ). Fresh cattle raids have resurfaced along the Kenya –Uganda border threatening to tear apart a 15 year old peace accord between the warring communities of Sebei,Karamojong and Pokots.

Natural Disasters

• Mongolia – Severe weather (ERCC). Strong winds, heavy dust, and snowstorms have been affecting several parts of Mongolia since May 19, causing casualties and infrastructure damage.
• Italy – Severe weather, floods and landslides, update (ERCC). Heavy rainfall affected the Emilia-Romagna Region (northern Italy) from 16 to 20 May, causing severe floods, rivers overflow and triggering several landslides (over 300, according to media) that have resulted in casualties and widespread damage
• Mexico – Volcanic eruption (ERCC). Over the past couple of days, explosive eruptions have been recorded at Popocatépetl volcano, located in the States of Puebla, Morelos, and Mexico in central Mexico. The activity of the volcano is still ongoing. On 18 May, 154 exhalations accompanied by water vapour, volcanic gases and ash, and one minor explosion have been registered.
• New Caledonia, Vanuatu, New Zealand – Earthquakes (ERCC). Seismic activity is occurring in the South Pacific Ocean 400 km east-southeast of New Caledonia. Small tsunami waves have been registered along the coast of New Caledonia, Vanuatu and New Zealand. People in Vanuatu Islands have been advised to evacuate from coastal areas to higher grounds.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina – Severe weather (ERCC). In the past few days, heavy rainfall has hit several parts of north-western Bosnia and Herzegovina causing widespread floods and rivers overflow (including the Una and Sana rivers) that resulted in displacement and damage.
• Red flood alert remains in place in northern Italy (YAHOO!News). Red flood warning is extended as incessant rain and the risk of landslides still pose dangers in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna.

Health

• After years of steady decline, cholera is making a devastating comeback and targeting the world’s most vulnerable communities, UN health experts warned on Friday (UN News). Echoing the bleak outlook, WHO data indicates that by May last year, 15 countries had reported cases, but by mid-May this year “we already have 24 countries reporting and we anticipate more with the seasonal shift in cholera cases,” said Henry Gray, WHO’s Incident Manager for the global cholera response.
• Epidemiological Update: Outbreaks of avian influenza caused by influenza A(H5N1) in the Region of the Americas. (WHO). As of epidemiological week (EW) 19 of 2023, agricultural authorities in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, the United States of America, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela have detected outbreaks of HPAI A(H5N1) viruses in domestic birds, farm poultry and/or wild birds, and in mammals. Among the mammals identified, red foxes and skunks were the most frequently affected in North America, and fur seals in South America. The detection of HPAI outbreaks in 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean is a situation never recorded before.
• Hemorrhagic fever cases rise to 119, including 18 deaths (Iraqi News). The Iraqi Ministry of Health announced on Thursday that the confirmed cases of hemorrhagic fever have risen to 119, including 18 deaths, the state news agency (INA) reported. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the mortality rate of the viral disease is 40 percent.

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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