051419 – World Status Report

When traveling on behalf of UT Dallas, set up your institutional safety net and prepare for an emergency as a standard step of all your travels.  Find more information in the Traveler Best Practices webpage.

The risk information in this report is retrieved from U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and other professional sources as listed in the post. It provides general guidance for UT Dallas travelers.

Please note the revision date (mmddyy) of this report, printed on the title of the post, and go to the direct sources listed for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this report may change without prior notice.

Take Enhanced Precautions

Conflict and Terrorism

• Benin – GOV.AU – Do not travel to Park Pendjari, W National Park or the Mékrou and Djona hunting zones due to the threat of terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.
• Cameroon – GOV.UK – Armed separatists have announced a general strike in the Anglophone regions.
• Colombia – UN News –  The UN alarmed by the “strikingly high number” of human rights defenders being killed, harassed and threatened in Colombia.
• India – GC.CA – Exercise a high degree of caution in India due to a continuing threat of terrorist attacks throughout the country at all times.
• Libya – UN News – An attack on an ambulance in Tripoli on Wednesday that has critically injured the head of emergency services in Libya’s war torn capital, along with two paramedics.
• Pakistan – GOV.UK – On 11 May, armed militants attacked the Pearl Continental Hotel in Gwadar in southern Balochistan. Three people were killed and four injured.
• Sahel Region of Africa – UN News – Repeated and increasingly sophisticated armed attacks in the Sahel and food shortages linked to last year’s severe drought, have reached unprecedented levels.
• Sri Lanka – GOV.UK – The Sri Lankan government continues to use curfews to support ongoing security operations; these have been limited to certain areas and have been put in place at short notice, so you should keep up to date with developments. It’s Sri Lankan law that you must carry an official form of identification at all times; for foreign nationals, the acceptable form of identification is your passport; if you do not have it with you and you’re stopped by the authorities, you may be detained.
• Syria – UN News – Intensifying clashes in north western Syria have claimed more civilian lives and displaced thousands in recent days.
• Tunisia – GC.CA – Exercise a high degree of caution in Tunisia due to the nationwide risk of civil unrest and terrorist attacks.
• Tunisia – GC.CA – There is a threat of terrorism. Terrorist attacks have occurred throughout Tunisia. Since 2015, tourist resorts and attractions, as well as Tunisian military and state institutions have been targeted, and further attacks cannot be ruled out.

Crime and Social Unrest

• Jamaica – GC.CA, GOV.UK –  Due to a significant increase in violent crime since the beginning of the year, the Jamaican government has declared a state of emergency effective until August 13, 2019.
• Malawi – GC.CA – Exercise a high degree of caution in Malawi due to crime.

Demonstrations

• Malawi – GC.CA – General elections are due to take place on May 21, 2019. Demonstrations could occur before, during and after the elections.
• South Africa – GC.CA, GOV.AU – General elections were held on May 8, 2019. Demonstrations can occur before, during and after the elections. Avoid protests and demonstrations, and monitor the media for updates.

Entry and Exit Requirements

• Suriname – GOV.UK – As of April 2019, you can apply for an evisa or etourist card via the official Suriname evisa website before you travel.

Health

• Cook Islands – GOV.AU – The Cook Islands Ministry of Health declared a dengue fever outbreak in February 2019. Protect yourself against mosquito bites.
• Europe – ECDC – Influenza transmission in Europe shows a seasonal pattern, with peak activity during the winter months.
• European Union – ECDC – Measles cases in the EU/EEA primarily occur in unvaccinated populations in both adults and children. Outbreaks are ongoing in countries that had previously eliminated or interrupted endemic transmission.
• France – WHO – On 4 January 2019, the National IHR Focal Point for France informed WHO of five human autochthonous cases of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) diagnosed on Mayotte Island through the Early Warning and Response System of the European Union.
• France Réunion – ECDC – Since the beginning of 2018, a Dengue outbreak of unusual magnitude has affected the French overseas department of Réunion. In 2018, Réunion reported a total of 6770 cases. Circulation has not been interrupted during the austral winter and the number of cases has started increasing again since the beginning of 2019.
• French Polynesia – GOV.AU – On 10 April 2019, local health authorities declared a dengue type 2 epidemic for the island of Tahiti. Protect yourself against mosquito bites.
• Saudi Arabia – WHO – From 1 March through 8 April 2019, the National International Health Regulations (IHR) Focal Point of Saudi Arabia reported 45 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS, CoV) infection, including 13 deaths. Of the 45 cases reported, nine cases, including one death, were linked to the outbreak in Wadi Aldwasir city.
• Tunisia – WHO – From 1 January through 30 April 2019, the Ministry of Health in Tunisia responded to a large measles outbreak in the country. A total of 3 141 suspected cases, of which 909 (28.9%) were laboratory confirmed and 1 236 (39.4 %) epidemiologically linked cases including 30 deaths (case fatality ratio=1.0 %), have been reported in all of the 24 governorates (range 1 to 1274).
• Western Pacific Region – WHO – Globally, between 2016 and 2017, the number of reported measles cases increased by 31%, while in the WHO Western Pacific Region (WPR), the total number of cases reported decreased by 82% during the same period. However, there was an increase in cases reported in WPR, from 11 118 in 2017 to 26 163 cases in 2018.

Law and Culture

• Singapore – GOV.UK – The minimum age for the purchase, use, possession, sale and supply of all tobacco products in Singapore is 19 years old; this will be raised to 20 years old in 2020; failure to comply carries fines.

Natural Disasters and Climate

• Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe – GDACS – The Drought alert level is Red. The drought has lasted for 6 months. Drought indicators suggest anomalies typical of severe to extreme events
• Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico – GDACS – The Drought alert level is Orange. The drought has lasted for 6 months. Drought indicators suggest anomalies typical of severe to extreme events.
• Congo, DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda – GDACS – The Drought alert level is Red. The drought has lasted for 2 months. Drought indicators suggest anomalies typical of severe to extreme events.
• India – GDACS – The Drought alert level is Orange. The drought has lasted for 4 months. Drought indicators suggest anomalies typical of severe to extreme events.
• India – GC.CA – Cyclone Fani made landfall near the city of Puri, in the state of Odisha, on May 3, 2019. It brought heavy rainfall and violent winds, causing infrastructural damages. The most affected districts are those of Khordha and Puri. Power distribution, water supply and transportation may be affected.
• Iran – GC.CA – From mid-March to April 2019 widespread flash flooding affected several parts of the country, resulting in many casualties. Flooding has caused damage to infrastructure, homes, buildings, bridges and roads, and has disrupted some essential services. Keep informed of regional weather forecasts. Monitor local media for the latest updates, including those on road conditions. Stay away from affected areas and areas that are prone to flooding. Follow the instructions of local authorities
• Philippines – GDACS – The Drought alert level is Orange. The drought has lasted for 1 months. Drought indicators suggest anomalies typical of severe to extreme events.

Other

• Angola – GC.CA – Shortages of fuel, municipal water and power may occur. Drinking water and some food items can be difficult to find sometimes. Plan accordingly. Ensure that your emergency kit is complete.
• Benin – GOV.UK – Two French tourists and their Beninese guide were reported missing from Pendjari National Park on Wednesday 1 May. The local authorities have confirmed that a body found on 4 May is that of the guide. There are reports that the abandoned car has also been found across the border in Burkina Faso. You should exercise increased caution if travelling in this area.

Ebola News

• Democratic Republic of Congo – WHO – The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak response this past week continues to be hampered by insecurity.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo – UN News – Now in its tenth month, the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has claimed more than a thousand lives, prompting Secretary General António Guterres to throw the support of “the whole United Nations system” into stemming the spread of the deadly virus.

Please note the revision date (mmddyy) of this report, printed on the title of the post, and go to the direct sources listed for the most up-to-date information.  The information in this report may change without prior notice.