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

• Cameroon – Deadly attack in North-West region (ERCC). On 25 November, in the main city of Bamenda, gunmen on motorbikes shot at the crowd. The attack resulted in the death of five people and nine other were injured, several of them are in a serious condition. Violence continues to escalate in the region, with this being the 5th armed incident in one month.
• UN: At Least 40 Civilians Killed by Al-Qaida-Linked Rebels in Burkina Faso Town (VOA). At least 40 civilians were killed last weekend by al-Qaida-linked rebels trying to take control of a besieged town in Burkina Faso’s hard-hit northern region, the United Nations’ rights office said, calling the attack a war crime.
• Truce in Gaza extended another day but talks over remaining hostages held by Hamas could get tougher (AP). Israel and Hamas agreed at the last minute Thursday to extend their cease-fire in Gaza by another day.
• Three people killed and 13 injured in Jerusalem shooting (The Guardian). Two attackers, reportedly brothers from East Jerusalem, killed at scene, after they opened fire on people at a bus stop
• Brazil increases northern border military presence amid Venezuela-Guyana spat -ministry (Reuters). Brazil “has intensified defensive actions” along its northern border as it monitors a territorial dispute between its neighbors, Guyana and Venezuela, the country’s defense ministry said on Wednesday.
• Suspected drug cartel members abduct 7 Mexican immigration agents at gunpoint in Cancun (AP News). Suspected drug cartel members abducted seven Mexican immigration agents in Cancun at gunpoint Wednesday, beat them and threatened to kill them before they were freed, authorities said.
• Haiti gang wars now ‘cataclysmic’ in key farmlands -UN report (Reuters). Haiti’s brutal gang wars have spread from the capital to key farming heartlands, displacing tens of thousands of people and having a devastating impact on access to food staples, the United Nations said in a report on Tuesday.

Environment

• Somalia – Floods, update (ERCC). Heavy rainfall continues to affect most of Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa region since the beginning of the Deyr rainy season that lasts from early October to December, causing rivers to overflow, floods and flash floods that have resulted in increased casualties and widespread damage. As of 29 November, according to UN OCHA, at least 2 million people have been affected, 746,000 have been displaced, 125,600 have relocated, and 96 died. 34 districts have been affected and at least 4,700 houses have been destroyed.
• Philippines – Severe weather, floods, update (ERCC). Following the combined effect of the Low-Pressure Area (LPA) and Shear Line that has been affecting Philippines since 14 November, causing floods, triggering landslides, the number of casualties and damage is increasing. A total of 76,312 people are still displaced in 167 evacuation centers, and 1,155,465 people have been affected.
• Ukraine – Severe weather (ERCC). Heavy snowfall, strong winds and very low temperatures have been affecting most of Ukraine since 26 November, causing several severe weather-related incidents that have resulted in casualties and damage.
• Kenya – Floods, update (ERCC). Following the heavy rainfall that continues to affect most of Kenya causing river overflow, floods and landslides, the number of casualties and widespread damage is increasing. More than 500,000 people have been affected and almost 90,000 households were displaced.
• Iceland – Volcanic unrest, update (ERCC). The seismic activity due to magma intrusion that is affecting the Reykjanes Peninsula (south-western Iceland) since early November has continued to decrease in the last two days. As of 28 November, the Icelandic Civil Protection reports that the building of a defense wall around Svartsengi power plant is ongoing and 3,700 people are still evacuated from Grindavik. Moreover, electricity, drinking water networks, several houses and roads have been damaged. The alert level have been downgraded from emergency to hazard phase.
• Germany – Severe weather (ERCC). From 27 to 28 November, heavy snowfall, strong winds and very low temperatures have been affecting south-western, central and north-eastern Germany, causing several severe weather-related incidents that have resulted in casualties and damage.
• Australia – Severe weather and floods (ERCC). Heavy rainfall, strong winds and thunderstorms have been affecting eastern and south-eastern Australia, in particular New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and south-eastern Queensland States since 28 November, causing floods, flash floods and a number of severe weather-related incidents that have resulted in evacuations and damage.

Health

• Somalia – Communicable diseases (ERCC). Somalia has been having uninterrupted cholera transmission in 11 districts – currently  flood affected – since 2022, and in Banadir region since 2017. In 2023, a total of 15,554 suspected cases of cholera, including 43 associated deaths (fatality rate 0.3%), were reported. Over the past two weeks, the number of new cholera cases increased by 44% in all districts.
• Flu on the rise in multiple Northern Hemisphere regions (CIDRAP). Regions on the rise include parts of Asia, North America, and Europe.
• Throughout the course of the year, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded a growing outbreak of mpox cases linked to sexual transmission (CIDRAP), the World Health Organization (WHO) said late last week. From January 1 through November 12, 2023, a total of 12 569 suspected mpox cases, including 581 suspected mpox deaths (case-fatality rate, 4.6%), have been reported in 85% of DRC provinces.
• Fears grow over mystery illness that has killed at least 14 people in Uganda (The Telegraph (UK)). African health experts are urgently investigating a mystery disease outbreak in Uganda which has killed at least 14 people and seen some 40 fall ill.

Humanitarian

• Uganda – Food insecurity (ERCC). Close to 1 million people (963,000 people) are expected to face high acute food insecurity (IPC phase 3 or worse) in first half of 2024. This is an increase of 14% compared to the current population facing acute food insecurity (846,000 people). The number of people in emergency is expected to almost double from 58,000 to 105,000 (IPC phase 4).
• South Sudan – Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) 2024 (ERCC). The ongoing Sudan crisis results in continued arrival of vulnerable people in need of urgent assistance and increased market costs, further reducing people’s coping capacities. The HNRP includes 80,000 refugees and 420,000 returnees anticipated in 2024.  

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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