Havana syndrome, the mysterious condition affecting American diplomats, tourists and others around the world, has puzzled experts for years.
A recent report by US intelligence officials found that rumors that Russia – or another adversary – is targeting Americans with directed energy are unlikely to be true.
This may have left more questions than answers as the world now wonders what causes these diseases.
Here’s DailyMail.com explaining what this means for the larger search for an explanation:
In early 2022, new reports of Havana syndrome dropped after US officials and embassy staff reported hundreds of cases in nearly 70 countries
What does the latest intelligence report add?
Since 2016 cases of Abnormal Health Incidents (AHIs), commonly known as Havana Syndrome, surfaced among diplomats stationed there, defense officials, victims and lawmakers have alleged that a foreign adversary is secretly weaponizing pulsed electromagnetic energy and ultrasonic technology.
Five US intelligence agencies noted that it was “highly unlikely” that a foreign adversary was responsible for the widespread symptoms, including aches and pains, pounding headaches, cognitive problems, dizziness and nausea.
In some of the approximately 1,000 cases in the US, the symptoms are chronic.
The long-controversial idea that US officials are being deliberately targeted rattled National Intelligence Director Avril Haines on Wednesday: “[Intelligence community] Authorities believe the symptoms reported by US personnel were likely the result of factors not influenced by a foreign adversary, such as: eg pre-existing conditions, common illnesses and environmental factors.”
Officials behind the report also said they found no commonalities between different cases or evidence that a foreign force was using any form of directed energy, such as radio waves or ultrasonic beams.
Despite intelligence consensus, the debate is far from over, some Republican lawmakers said.
Senator Marco Rubio of Florida called Thursday: “At first glance, I am concerned that intelligence agencies have in fact concluded that U.S. personnel reporting AHI symptoms simply had symptoms caused by environmental factors, illness, or pre-existing conditions, and that they may be up to ‘ rushed to a conclusion while leaving a considerable number of questions.
“Like I said, something happened here and just because you don’t have all the answers doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I do not accept that all these reported cases were coincidences.’
The mystery food is named after the US Embassy in Havana (above), where cases were first reported in 2016 and hundreds of people have since reported symptoms
Where does the term “Havana Syndrome” come from?
The name originates from the original cases that began from November 2016 to June 2018 among 25 US diplomats stationed in Havana, Cuba.
The State Department described what it saw as “medically confirmed symptoms” including headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, confusion and disorientation.
In some cases, it also includes difficulty walking, insomnia, sensitivity to noise, ear pain and pressure, tinnitus, and brain abnormalities that resemble concussion-like symptoms.
After the first cases emerged and became known in Cuba, diplomats went abroad to countries such as Uzbekistan, China, Germany, Vietnam and Colombia.
Before the cause was determined, officials in the former Trump administration ruled that the cases were a byproduct of foul play by the Cuban government, complicating already strained relations with the communist-run island.
What can cause it?
The origin of the abnormal condition is unclear, although some experts claim it was a case of a massive psychogenic illness.
Scientists in California and New Zealand argued in 2020 that the emergence of mysterious symptoms in Havana was a psychological response to the stressful post-Cold War conditions in which diplomats lived, as well as rumors of a “new and mysterious sonic device. “
They said: “These psychogenic symptoms associated with US soldiers living under constant stress parallel those reported by US diplomats working under constant surveillance while living under the specter of the Cold War on foreign soil. “
Marco Rubio DISMISSES the claim that the foreign adversary did not cause Havana syndrome
Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, vice chairman of the intelligence committee, rejected the intelligence agencies’ findings, saying it was “highly unlikely” that the mysterious Havana syndrome would be linked to foreign adversaries.
“The symptoms of American diplomats in Havana are exactly the same as those associated with wartime trauma — right down to the concussion-like symptoms that doctors often misdiagnosed as brain trauma in the past.”
To further complicate the situation, Trump-era Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin wrote a letter two years ago urging some 3 million military, civilian officials and contractors to be on the lookout for symptoms consistent with what is known stands as Havana syndrome.
Meanwhile, a 2020 scientific review found that radiofrequency energy, a type of radiation that includes microwaves, was the most likely cause of the injuries.
It wasn’t until two years later that intelligence agencies concluded that the mysterious cases were likely not caused by Russia or any other foreign adversary, which served as the basis for this week’s latest IC report.
Were the cases elsewhere similar to those in Cuba?
The problem began with some reports among diplomats in Cuba, but has since spread to about 1,000 people — both U.S. citizens and foreign officials — claiming to have similar symptoms.
In January 2019, a senior Canadian diplomat was removed from his post in Havana when his symptoms worsened.
An unnamed diplomat in the Ottawa area suffered from memory loss, cognitive problems and dizziness and said he felt “like a zombie”.
In China, American diplomat Catherine Werner was awakened one night in 2017 by a pounding, buzzing sound in her apartment in Guangzhou, China.
She also felt a strong pressure in her head. As the sounds and sensations returned each night, her health continued to deteriorate with frequent vomiting, headaches and loss of balance.
After her transfer to the United States, Ms. Werner was diagnosed with visual impairment, a balance disorder and “organic brain damage” — similar diagnoses to the roughly two dozen diplomats who have fallen ill in Cuba since 2016.
What happens now?
President Joe Biden has been pretty dumb about Havana syndrome, except for signing the Havana Act of 2021, which authorizes Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and CIA Director William J. Burns to financially compensate employees who have suffered brain injuries to offer support.
When asked if the president was satisfied with the intelligence agencies’ determination, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre glossed over an indirect response.
She said: “What’s important to the president is that we take this very seriously, as do the intelligence agencies.
“We are committed to ensuring that our employees and their families receive the help they need through medical care. Look, the work goes on.”
Congressional Republicans are unlikely to stop researching the causes of Havana syndrome.
Along with Senator Rubio’s involvement, GOP Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, also of Florida, said: “This report is a cruel precursor to the Biden administration removing Cuba from state sponsor of terrorism status – a measure that it has worked ever since.” took office.
Speculation about causes such as “pre-existing medical conditions, conventional diseases and environmental factors” not only contradicts the findings of a panel of experts and fails to adequately identify the cause of what happened, but the report is an insult to the dozens of hard-working American employees and their families who died suffered severe brain damage and other symptoms as a result of this AHI.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
