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 – Security Situation (ERCC). The security situation in Amhara region remains precarious. A state of emergency in Amhara region has been declared on 4 August by Ethiopia’s council of ministers following a surge in violence between the local militia (FANO) and the army. The deteriorating insecurity situation is hampering the ability of humanitarian operations to operate in the affected areas.
• Persistent violence in Haiti remains a significant concern for the safety and welfare of its most vulnerable citizens (UN News), especially women and children, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday, citing reports of an “alarming spike” in kidnapping and other crimes. The overall situation in Haiti is catastrophic. Today, an estimated 5.2 million people, or close to half of the entire population, require humanitarian assistance, including almost three million children. On top of crime and violence, reports indicate that local healthcare systems are teetering on the brink of collapse amid a resurgence of cholera and severe malnutrition.
• The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) on Tuesday revealed compelling evidence of the country’s military and affiliate militias engaging in more frequent war crimes and crimes against humanity (UN News). These include indiscriminate attacks on civilians from aerial bombing, mass executions of civilians and detained combatants, and large-scale and intentional burning of civilian homes and buildings, resulting in the destruction of entire villages in some cases.
• Tensions rise as Belarus begins military drills near Poland and Lithuania (The Guardian). Leaders of the two NATO countries say they expect provocations from their neighbouring Russian ally and Wagner fighters
• El Salvador Escalates Gang Crackdown With New Measures (InSight Crime). With the deployment of thousands of soldiers to rural El Salvador and new legislation permitting the trial of hundreds of people at a time, President Nayib Bukele has unveiled the latest chapter in his campaign against the country’s street gangs.

Demonstrations

• Thousands in Haiti march to demand safety from violent gangs as killings and kidnappings soar (AP News). Several thousand people — their faces covered to conceal their identities — marched through Haiti’s capital on Monday demanding protection from violent gangs who are pillaging neighborhoods in the capital Port-au-Prince and beyond.
• Striking Nigerian doctors to embark on nationwide protest over unmet demands by country’s leader (AP). Striking Nigerian doctors on Saturday said they will embark on a nationwide protest, accusing the country’s newly elected president of ignoring their demands for better pay, better work conditions and payment of owed earnings.

Infrastructure

• The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has issued a grave warning regarding the deepening food crisis in Sudan, as the country grapples with conflict and economic decline (UN News). FAO said 20.3 million individuals in Sudan face severe hunger, a figure that has nearly doubled since last year. The displacement of over four million people due to ongoing fighting has also resulted in critical infrastructure damage, further exacerbating food insecurity and malnutrition. UNHCR warned that cholera and malaria outbreaks are expected in coming months, amid heavy rains, flooding, inadequate health facilities and impeded humanitarian access.
• The UN human rights office in Uganda will cease operations on Sunday after the Government decided not to renew the host country agreement (UN News). The closure of the office in Kampala follows the recent closure of sub-offices in Gulu and Moroto sub-offices.
• Carriers face longer Africa flights, suspensions as Niger closes airspace (Reuters). European carriers on Monday reported disruptions and suspended flights across the African continent after Niger’s junta closed its airspace on Sunday.

Natural Disasters

• Slovenia – Severe weather, update (ERCC). Recent heavy rainfall in Slovenia caused widespread damage leading to the collapse of at least seven main and regional bridges and mainly impacted roads and the energy infrastructure. Structural damage and landslide risk assessments continue.
• Sri Lanka – Drought (ERCC). Drought-like conditions are affecting various locations in Sri Lanka as a result of below-average rainfall in the first half of 2023 and water shortages in reservoirs.
• China – Floods, update (ERCC). Heavy rainfall and widespread floods continues to affect China, particularly the area of Beijing City and eastern China, resulting in an increasing number of casualties and damage.
• Portugal – Wildfires (ERCC). Since 5 August, several wildfires have been affecting Portugal, resulting in evacuations and widespread damage.
• USA – Severe weather (ERCC). Heavy rainfall, strong winds and tornadoes have been affecting the eastern States of the USA from Alabama and Tennessee to the Carolinas and New York, resulting in casualties and damage.
• Northern Europe – Severe weather (ERCC). Heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and strong winds have been affecting several States of northern Europe, including Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, Finland, Estonia and Latvia, causing floods, severe weather-related incidents and landslides that resulted in casualties and damage.
• Georgia – Massive Mudflow Leaves 12 Dead, 25 Missing (FloodList). Teams of emergency workers are carrying out intensive search and rescue (SAR) operations after a massive mudflow in the mountain resort town of Shovi in Oni municipality in Georgia, on 03 August 2023.

Health

• On 2 August 2023, the Finnish Food Authority reported that avian influenza A(H5N1) was confirmed in one additional fur farm hosting blue (artic) foxes (ECDC). Since July, there has been 21 fur farms affected in Finland. The virus in the fur farms matches the virus circulating among gulls in the country.
• Thirty-six human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) have been reported by EU/EEA countries since the last update (ECDC), and as of 2 August 2023. A total of 41 human cases of WNV infection – Italy (26), Greece (11), France (3) and Hungary (1) – have been reported from EU/EEA countries since the beginning of the 2023 transmission season, and as of 2 August 2023.
• A lethal case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) has been reported by North Macedonia on 29 July 2023 (ECDC). High-risk contacts tested negative; high- and medium-risk contacts are being clinically monitored.
• The CDC genomic surveillance shows continued rise of the COVID EG.5.1 variant (CDC), with near doubling over the past couple of weeks, showing significant growth advantage compared to its prevailing XBB variant precursors (such as XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, XBB.1.9).
• Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record (Yahoo). In Bangladesh, dengue fever has killed more than 300 people this year and infected almost 63,700 others, with hospitals having a difficult time keeping up with all of the cases.

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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