World Status Report

This report intends to give the UTD Community a snapshot of international risks, and other issues as reported by the linked official sources from the U.S. and other countries.

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

A state of emergency was declared in West Darfur, Sudan, following clashes between Masalit and Arab communities (ERCC).  In Somalia 5.9 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, with insurgent groups being the main source of insecurity (ERCC). In Ethiopia, the humanitarian situation remains dire amidst hostilities in the Tigray region (UN News). In Myanmar, clashes have displaced thousands of people due to indiscriminate attacks by military and armed forces (UN News).  Around the world the pandemic has severely impacted the human rights of millions of people, collapsed health and welfare systems, worsened the conditions of marginalized groups and facilitated crackdowns on dissent, says Amnesty International (WaPo)

Natural Disasters

The number of deaths, missing and displaced people, and damage to infrastructure due to the passage of Tropical Cyclone SEROJA across eastern Indonesia and Timor-Leste has increased (ERCC).  Severe weather in Dominican Republic has damaged roads and water supply, impacting thousands of people in several communities (ERCC).

Health

In Guinea, a new Ebola case was reported. (Africa News)

COVID-19

International preventative measures against COVID-19, including entry restrictions and in-country mobility remain very fluid, and can be imposed without prior notice. Details for each country can be found in the travel advisories issued by the governments of the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia. 

As notable cases: New Zealand temporarily bans travelers coming from India, including its own citizens (WaPo).

Globally, as of 08 April, Johns Hopkins University counts 133,250,442 COVID-19 cases and 2,890,706 deaths, and the WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports as of 08 April 132,485,386 cases and 2,875,672 deaths. 

As notable cases: In Brazil, public health experts are raising alarm this week, with the country marking a record number of deaths and the concern of multiple more-contagious variants (WaPo). Iran reported more than 22,000 infections in a 24-hour period, a record number (WaPo) Iran has the most severe outbreak in the Middle East (CNN).  In Japan, cases continue to rise in Osaka and Tokyo (CNN). Globally, the number of cases and deaths rose for a sixth consecutive week.  The largest increases in cases were noted in India, Brazil, the United Sates, Turkey, and France (WHO).

Vaccination campaigns around the world continue.  As of 07 April, Our World in Data reports over 710 million administered vaccine doses globally. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard as of 07 April reports over 611 million administered vaccine doses.

As notable cases: A day after European regulators described a “possible link” between AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine and rare blood clots, countries around the world moved to restrict its use in younger people (NYT).

Risk Levels

Countries risk levels remain high as reported by the CDC and the U.S. Department of State.

CDC COVID-19 Levels, last update on April 05

# Countries	Risk Level
152	Level 4: COVID-19 Very High (avoid all travel)
21	Level 3: COVID-19 High (avoid all non-essential travel)
17	Level 2: COVID-19 Moderate (travelers at increased risk for severe illness, avoid all non-essential travel)
30	Level 1: COVID-19 Low (take steps to mitigate risks before, during, and after travel)
25	Level Unknown: COVID-19 Unknown (avoid all non-essential travel)

U.S. Department of State Levels, last update on April 07

# Countries	Risk Level
32	Level 4: Do Not Travel
154	Level 3: Reconsider Travel
22	Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
3	Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

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.