World Status Report
September 29, 2023
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
- Nigeria – Attacks on schools and abductions of students (ERCC). On 23 September, armed groups kidnapped more than 30 students including at least 24 female students of the Federal University, Gusau, in Zamfara State. According to local authorities 13 students have been rescued as well as three workers.
- Mali’s military government postpones a presidential election intended to restore civilian rule (Associated Press on MSN.com). A spokesperson says Mali’s military-led government has postponed a presidential election that was expected to return the West African nation to democracy following a 2020 coup.
- Over 10,000 displaced in Haiti after violence escalates north of capital (Reuters). More than 10,000 people have fled their homes in parts of Haiti’s central department, the United Nations’ migration agency said on Wednesday, after a series of gang attacks in recent days including in a hospital north of the capital
- Mexican army sends troops, helicopters, convoys in to towns cut off by drug cartels (AP News). Mexico’s armed forces sent troops, vehicle convoys and helicopters into remote towns near the southern border with Guatemala on Wednesday after drug cartels blocked roads and cut off electricity in some areas over the weekend.
Infrastructure
- Climate change-induced water shortages and maintenance problems are causing power shortages and rationing across Tanzania (Reuters), the state power supplier said. The country’s energy supply is mostly made up of natural gas and hydropower.
Natural Disasters
- Pakistan – Severe weather, update (ERCC). The number of casualties and evacuated people is still increasing due to the monsoon rainfall that has been affecting several provinces of Pakistan causing severe floods and a number of severe weather-related incidents.
- Malaysia – Floods (ERCC). Heavy rainfall has been affecting the Peninsular Malaysia, particularly the Kedah and Perlis States northwestern Malaysia, since 26 September, causing floods that have resulted in evacuations.
- South Africa – Floods and severe weather, update (ERCC). After the severe weather that affected South Africa (in particular Western Cape Province and the Cape Town area) on 23-26 September, causing floods, mudslides, rivers overflow and a number of severe weather-related incidents, the number of casualties has increased.
- Heavy rain hits north Vietnam, halting traffic in Hanoi (Reuters on MSN.com). Heavy rain from a tropical depression hit northern and north-central Vietnam, causing flooding that halted traffic in the capital Hanoi and sparked warnings of landslides on Thursday.
Health
- There is an outbreak of diphtheria in the Zinger region of Niger (CDC). If you are traveling to an affected area, you should be up to date with your diphtheria vaccines. Before travel, discuss the need for a booster dose with your healthcare professional. If you feel sick during travel, seek medical care immediately.
- There is an outbreak of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in most provinces in Afghanistan (CDC). CCHF virus is spread by contact with infected ticks or animal (e.g., livestock) blood. CCHF virus can be spread from human to human through contact with infectious blood or bodily fluids.
- Sudan medics warn that cholera and dengue fever are spreading (Reuters on MSN.com). Medics in Sudan have warned that cases of cholera and dengue fever are spreading due to the arrival of seasonal rains and the impact of more than five months of war on a health system that was already struggling before fighting began.
Migration
- Armenia – Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (ERCC). As of 27 September 2023, 53,629 persons had been displaced from the Nagorno-Karabakh region (NK) to Armenia. 35,491 people have been registered. The flow of arrivals has been increasing every day since last week. Currently most displaced people reside with family members.
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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