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 

• Botswana – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (DOS Travel Advisories). Exercise increased caution in Botswana due to crime. Crimes of opportunity, primarily the theft of money and personal property, are common in Botswana.  Potentially violent crimes, such as home invasions, break-ins, “smash and grabs” from vehicles stopped at intersections and from locked cars in shopping mall parking lots, cell phone thefts, and muggings are routinely reported to police.
• Technicians, Australian pilot kidnapped in Papua New Guinea freed (AFP on MSN.com). An Australian helicopter pilot and two local contractors kidnapped at gunpoint in Papua New Guinea’s restive highlands escaped unharmed Monday, police and an aviation company spokesman said.
• At least 15 Catholic worshippers were killed in an attack during a service in northern Burkina Faso (AP). At least 15 Catholic worshippers were killed in a Burkina Faso village on Sunday when gunmen attacked a community as they gathered for prayers in the country’s conflict-hit northern region, church officials said.
• Anti-Muslim hate speech soars in India, research group says (Reuters on MSN.com). Anti-Muslim hate speech in India rose by 62% in the second half of 2023 compared to the first six months of the year, a Washington-based research group said on Monday, adding the Israel-Gaza war played a key role in the last three months. The states of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh accounted for the most hate speech.
• Israeli strikes hit eastern Lebanon for the first time during the war (France24) and killed two members of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, unnamed Lebanese security sources told AFP. Hezbollah had reportedly downed an Israeli drone in southern Lebanon earlier.

Demonstrations

• South Korea gives protesting doctors end-Feb deadline to return to work (Reuters on MSN.com). South Korea’s government on Monday told young doctors they had until the end of February to return to work or risk being punished for staging a week-long protest that has disrupted services for patients at several major hospitals.
• Germany: Hamburg, Dresden protest against the far-right AfD (Deutsche Welle). Weeks of protests against the Alternative for Germany party (AfD) show no signs of stopping with tens of thousands showing up to demonstrations in Hamburg and Dresden.
• Angry farmers clash with police near the European Union’s headquarters in a fresh show of force (The Associated Press). Farmers clashed with police in Belgium on Monday, spraying officers with liquid manure and setting fire to piles of tires in a fresh show of force as European Union agriculture ministers met in search of ways to address their concerns.

Infrastructure 

• Several people injured in 100-car pile-up on icy road in China (Yahoo News). Many people were injured in a pile-up of over 100 cars on an icy road in China in the latest incident due to extreme weather conditions in the country.

Environment

• Peru – Flood (ERCC). Heavy rainfall has been affecting south-eastern Peru since 21 February, causing floods and river overflow that have resulted in casualties and damage.
• Indonesia – Flood (ERCC). Since the last week, heavy rainfall has been affecting Sumatra and Kalimantan Islands, causing floods and resulting in evacuations and damage.
• Australia – Bushfire (ERCC). Over the past few days, a huge bushfire, Bayindeen-Rocky Road fire has been affecting south-western Victoria State, resulting in evacuations. The Forest Fire Management Victoria reported that the fire started on 22 February and has reached the extension of 20,000 ha as of 25 February at 18.46 UTC. 
• France – Snow avalanche (ERCC). On 25 February, a snow avalanche occurred in Mont-Dore Municipality, in Puy-de-Dôme Department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, central France, resulting in casualties.
• Brazil – 8 Killed in Floods and Landslides as Rain Lashes State of Rio De Janeiro (floodList). The worst of the damage, in particular landslides, was reported in municipalities outside the state capital, including Barra do Piraí, Japeri, Mendes and Nova Iguaçu.

Health 

• Influenza A(H5N1) – Multi-country (World) – Monitoring human cases (ERCC). On 20 February 2024, the Cambodian Ministry of Health reported one new human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) infection in Kampot province. Overall, five cases have been reported in 2024 in Cambodia, including one death. No human-to-human transmission associated with these events has been reported.
• Avian influenza A(H9N2) – Multi-country (World) – Monitoring human cases (ERCC). One new human infection with avian influenza A(H9) has been reported in China in a child under 5 years old, with onset of symptoms on 15 February 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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