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

• Syria – Armed clashes in the Northeast (ERCC). In North East Syria, armed clashes are ongoing at different locations involving various actors, including the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Syrian opposition forces, and various local militias.
• Haiti is in the grip of “extreme brutality”, with gang-related violence continuing to force thousands from their homes amidst widespread suffering, said the UN’s top humanitarian official there (UN News). In the past two weeks alone, 71 people have been killed and injured in capital Port-au-Prince, marking a major escalation, according to UN humanitarian affairs office. Also on Thursday, the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) issued a report outlining the dire human rights situation there, including brutal killings and lynchings.
• A group of UN independent human rights experts on Wednesday urged the Government of Mexico to investigate and prosecute those who attack and kill women activists searching for their missing relatives (UN News). The UN experts urged the Mexican authorities to ensure human rights defenders working on enforced disappearances can operate freely and safely.
• Security in Ecuador has come undone as drug cartels exploit the banana industry to ship cocaine (AP News). The South American country is the world’s largest exporter of bananas, shipping about 6.5 million metric tons (7.2 tons) a year by sea.
• Rainbows, drag shows, movies: Lebanon’s leaders go after perceived symbols of the LGBTQ+ community (Times Union). Rainbows, school books, movies and drag shows have all been targeted in Lebanon in recent weeks as politicians, religious leaders and vigilante groups step up a campaign against the LGBTQ+ community in a country that has long shown relative tolerance.

Demonstrations

• The Congolese military is accused of a deadly crackdown on a religious sect, killing at least 43 (AP News). More than 40 people died and dozens were injured while protesters from a religious sect gathered in the Congolese city of Goma, national authorities said.
• Huge protests in Niger call for French forces to leave after coup (Reuters). Tens of thousands of protesters gathered outside a French military base in Niger’s capital Niamey on Saturday demanding that its troops leave in the wake of a military coup that has widespread popular support but which Paris refuses to recognise.

Natural Disasters

• Taiwan, China – Tropical cyclone HAIKUI, update (ERCC). Tropical cyclone HAIKUI continued moving west over the South China Sea on 4 September, weakening. On the forecast track, HAIKUI is expected to continue moving westward inland over the central Guangdong Province, further weakening and dissipating on 6 September. After its passage over southern Taiwan on 3 September, media report as of 5 September, nearly 80 injured people and over 7,000 evacuated people across the Island. In addition, three people were reported missing and about 114,400 people were moved to safer places in the Fuzhou City, the capital of the Fujian Province.
• Algeria – Floods (ERCC). Heavy rain has affected north-western Algeria, particularly Tlemcen and El Bayadh Provinces, on 2-3 September triggering floods and causing casualties and damage.
• Spain – Floods (ERCC). Heavy rainfall has been affecting central and eastern Spain (Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia, Aragón, Madrid Community and Castilla-La Mancha Regions) since 2 September, causing floods that have resulted in casualties and damage.

Infrastructure

• Johannesburg fire: Scores killed as fire guts rundown apartment block (Reuters). More than 70 people were killed overnight when fire raged through a five-storey Johannesburg apartment block, one of the worst such disasters in a city where poverty, household fires and homelessness are widespread.
• Mexico City’s old airport told to cut flights by 17%, leading airlines to warn of mass cancellations (AP News). The Mexican government ordered Mexico City’s old airport to cut flights by 17% Thursday, sparking warnings by airlines of possible mass flight cancellations.

Health

• On 1 September 2023, the State District Sanitary Inspector in Rzeszów, Poland reported an ongoing outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease involving 158 confirmed cases and 18 deaths (ECDC). Epidemiological and environmental investigations are underway to determine the source of the outbreak and to control it.
• Since the first week of August and as of 29 August 2023, six autochthonous dengue fever cases have been detected in the Lombardy (5) and Lazio (1) regions of Italy (ECDC). Since the mosquito vector Aedes albopictus is established in most of Europe, further virus introductions leading to secondary autochthonous transmissions may occur in most southern EU/EEA countries
• Since the last update and as of 30 August 2023, 61 human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection have been reported by EU/EEA countries and 18 by an EU-neighbouring country (ECDC). Since the beginning of the 2023 transmission season, 287 human cases of WNV infection have been reported by EU/EEA countries and 57 by EU-neighbouring countries
• Dengue is a risk in many parts of Africa and the Middle East (CDC). Some countries are reporting increased numbers of cases of the disease. Travelers to Africa and the Middle East can protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites.
• The UN World Health Organization (WHO) issued a stark warning on Thursday over rising cases of measles and rubella among children in Yemen (UN News). As of July, there have been more than 34,000 suspected cases of measles and rubella reported, resulting in 413 deaths; a significant increase compared to the 27,000 cases and 220 associated deaths recorded during all of last year, reported the UN health agency.

Humanitarian

• The humanitarian situation in Mali is deteriorating (ERCC), with increased internal displacement and restricted access to basic services. To date, 25% of the population is moderately or acutely food insecure, including 2,500 people who are at risk of famine, in the region of Menaka. Nearly one million children under the age of five will suffer from acute malnutrition by the end of 2023, and at least 200,000 people are reported to be at risk of dying if assistance if not provided.
• Niger continues to suffer significant humanitarian needs (ERCC) due to conflicts, displacement, food insecurity, child malnutrition, and epidemics. As of 26 of July 2023 a military coup suspended the former democratic regime creating political instability in the country.

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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