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

• Ethiopia. Eritrean soldiers and Tigrayan militias raped, detained and killed Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray, an international rights watchdog said on Thursday (Reuters).
• Afghanistan needs urgent and sustained support from the international community to prevent a larger humanitarian crisis, the head of the U.N. refugee agency said, warning of global implications if that were to happen (Reuters).
• Cyprus. A British woman convicted for falsely claiming gang rape in Cyprus has filed an appeal to the island’s Supreme Court, seeking to clear her name (Reuters).
• Burundi. Despite Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye’s pledges to end repression, the human rights situation in the East African country has “deteriorated” in the 15 months since he took office, United Nations investigators said Thursday (The East African).
• Haiti’s government is starting to crumble as Prime Minister Ariel Henry faces increased scrutiny from authorities investigating the president’s slaying (AP).

Natural Disasters

• China. An earthquake of 5.4 M (6.0 M as reported by the China Earthquake Networks Centre – CENC) occurred in southeastern Sichuan Province on 15 September at 20.33 UTC. China reports two people have died, 60 others have been injured (three seriously injured) and several houses have been damaged (ERCC).
• Guatemala. On 13-14 September, heavy rain was reported across areas of Guatemala, resulting in floods and landslides and leading to casualties (ERCC).
• Nigeria. Flooding, caused by heavy rain was reported on 12-13 September across Abuja Capital City (central Nigeria): four people have died and at least 166 houses have been damaged or destroyed (ERCC).
• Japan – South Korea. Tropical Cyclone CHANTHU is moving north-eastwards over the East China Sea. On 16-17 September, heavy rain and strong winds are forecast over southern South Korea and southern Japan (ERCC).

COVID-19

International preventative measures against COVID-19, including entry restrictions and in-country mobility remain fluid, and can be imposed without prior notice.  The UNWTO and IATA Destination Tracker offers relevant information on a destination status. The Timeline of EU Member States Reopening Their Borders offers a list of opened EU countries for travelers, and dates of warned opening.

As notable cases:

• Malaysia. The first plane carrying tourists in more than four months touched down on the Malaysian island of Langkawi on Thursday (Reuters).
• France. Hospitals, care homes and health centres have suspended around 3,000 workers across France for failing to comply with mandatory COVID vaccination (Reuters).
• Italy is poised to become the first country in Europe to make it obligatory for all workers to have a COVID-19 “Green Pass”, with the cabinet due to approve the measure at a meeting later on Thursday, officials said (Reuters).
• The United States is developing a “new system for international travel” that will include contact tracing for when it eventually lifts travel restrictions that bar much of the world’s population from entering the country, a senior White House official said on Wednesday (Reuters).
• Chile has announced plans to reopen its borders to tourists ahead of the Southern Hemisphere summer (Reuters).

Global cases and deaths. As of 16 September, Johns Hopkins University counts 226,593,990 COVID-19 cases and 4,662,628 deaths, and the WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports as of 15 September 225,680,357 cases and 4,644,740 deaths.

As notable cases:

• Americas. As more adults get their COVID-19 vaccines, children who are not yet eligible for vaccination in most countries are representing a larger percentage of hospitalizations and even deaths, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned on Wednesday (Reuters).
• Australia‘s Victoria state reported its biggest one-day rise in COVID-19 cases of the year on Thursday as a surge in vaccinations nationwide raised hope for easing restrictions with almost 70% of the adult population having had a first dose (Reuters).
• United States. Alaska now joins Idaho in establishing crisis standards of care as its largest hospital is now prioritizing treatment to patients most likely to survive COVID-19 infections (CIDRAP).

Vaccination campaigns around the world continue. As of 15 September, Our World in Data reports 42.6% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 5.82 billion doses have been administered globally, and 29.6 million are now administered each day. Only 1.9% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose. The WHO COVID-19 dashboard reports as of 15 September over 5.63 billion administered vaccine doses.

As notable cases:

• Panama approved a plan on Wednesday to vaccinate visitors in a bid to boost a tourism industry badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, becoming the first Central American nation to offer vaccine doses to tourists (Reuters).
• Asia. Several Asian nations are quickly ramping up vaccination campaigns from shaky starts to combat growing COVID-19 infections, as supply shipments roll in and people overcome hesitancy in hopes of easing curbs and freeing up travel (Reuters).
• Indonesia is in talks with the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as six drug companies to become a global hub for manufacturing vaccines (Reuters).
• United Kingdom. England launched its COVID-19 booster vaccination campaign for over-50s and other priority groups on Thursday (Reuters).
• Sweden will offer vaccine to children aged 12 to 15 years later this autumn (Reuters).

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.