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 

• Israel army says killed Hezbollah militant in south Lebanon strike (ARAB News) – Israeli military said they eliminated a “Hezbollah terrorist” in southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s health ministry reported one person killed in an Israeli drone strike targeting a car. 
• Germany arrests three Ukrainian nationals for plotting Russian ‘sabotage’ bomb attacks (EURO News) – Three Ukrainian nationals have been arrested in Germany and Switzerland on suspicion of acting as agents for Russia in a plot involving parcel bombs, German prosecutors said on Wednesday.  
• Libya fighting eases after announcement of truce (Reuters). The worst fighting in Libya’s capital for years calmed on Wednesday after the government announced a ceasefire, Tripoli residents said, while there was no immediate statement from authorities on how many people had been killed. 

Infrastructure 

• Granada substation power loss pinpointed as origin of massive blackout in Spain, Portugal (Reuters) – An abrupt loss of power generation at a substation in Granada, followed by failures seconds later in Badajoz and Seville, triggered an unprecedented blackout across Spain and Portugal on April 28, Spain’s energy minister said on Wednesday. 

Environment 

• Democratic Republic of the Congo – Floods (ERCC) – As of 13 May, media reports indicate that at least 104 people have died, 50 are missing, and 28 have been injured along the shores of Lake Tanganyika and the Kasaba River. The event has also caused widespread devastation, with over 2,000 households displaced and without shelter due to severely damaged infrastructure and disruptions to essential services, including power outages. 
• Indonesia – Landslides (ERCC) – As of 13 May, two people died, two are missing, four people have been displaced, and 21 have been affected in Samarinda city, in East Kalimantan province. In addition, four houses were destroyed, several others have been damaged, one road was closed and power outages were recorded. 
• Bangladesh – Severe weather (ERCC) – As of 12 May, media reports indicate that at least 13 people have been killed and four injured by lightning strikes across the northern districts of Naogaon, Chapaiwabganj, Sherpur, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, and Habiganj. 
• Martinique (France) – Floods (ERCC) – As at 13 May, the Inter-ministerial Crisis Management Operational Centre (COGIC) reported one death, one person missing, and seven people injured, of which one seriously injured. A rescue team of 40 people was mobilized, including to search for the missing individual. 
• Italy – Earthquake (ERCC) – As of 14 May, no injuries have been reported, and 30 people have been assisted – 26 in Pozzuoli and 4 in Bacoli municipality – hosted in temporary shelters (Palantricone/Pozzuoli), and 53 other people have been hosted in independent accommodations within Pozzuoli. Several schools have been closed and several transportation disruptions have been recorded. 

Health 

• HIV patient testing falls in South Africa after US aid cuts (Reuters) – Testing and monitoring of HIV patients across South Africa have fallen since the United States cut aid that funded health workers and clinics, with pregnant women, infants and youth the most affected, previously unpublished government data shows. 
• Saudi Arabia confirms 9 MERS cases, including hospital cluster (CIDRAP) – The cases are Saudi Arabia’s first since March, when the WHO reported four cases, which occurred between September 2024 and February 2025. One of the patients is an adult from Hail in the west central part of the country who is older than 65 years and whose symptoms began on February 20. The patient was hospitalized and died 3 days later from his or her illness. 
• China reports more H9N2 and H10N3 avian flu cases (CIDRAP) – China has reported eight more H9N2 avian flu infections in people from four different areas, along with another H10N3 avian flu case in a resident of Guangxi province, the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said today in its weekly avian flu update. 
• Texas announces more measles cases, including first in Dallas area (CIDRAP) – Two cases near the Dallas area are now included in the large outbreak, which now totals 717 cases. 
• Chikungunya in the Region of the Indian Ocean (CDC). There are outbreaks of chikungunya in Mauritius, Mayotte, Réunion, Somalia, and Sri Lanka. Mosquitoes spread the virus that causes chikungunya.  

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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