Havana Syndrome Causes 2 US Officials to Fall Ill; Mysterious Disease and Symptoms Explained

At least two United States officials in Germany were recently reported to have developed symptoms of Havana Syndrome. This is the first time suspected occurrences of the mysterious disease have been reported in the country.

According to a Deutsche Welle, the unidentified US officials sought medical treatment, as reported yesterday by the Wall Street Journal.

Similar cases had also been recently reported by the US officials in other European nations, although the quoted diplomats did not give further details.

The report also specified that the diplomats and intelligence officers who experienced symptoms had been working in areas related to Russia, which include gas exports, cybersecurity, as well as political meddling.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson at the German Foreign Ministry said he was aware of the reports during a regular press briefing, although there was no detailed or further information.

If verified, this would be the first time occurrences of the disorder have been reported in a NATO member state that hosts nuclear weapons and US troops.

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(Photo: YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)
View of the United States Embassy in Havana

Havana Syndrome

This so-called "mysterious ailment" occurred in 2016 among US diplomats and their families based in Cub. People suffering from the illness have complained of persistent migraines, nosebleeds, fatigue, and nausea after hearing shrill noises at night.

Earlier this month, during the intelligence officials' high-level meeting, Avril Haines, the US intelligence chief, said the US is still uncertain what's causing what he called the "anomalous health incidents."

In December last year, an assessment made by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and medicine in the country said directed pulsed radio frequency or RF energy was possibly behind the symptoms diplomats are experiencing.

As specified in this report, the mystery behind the cause of the disease and US diplomatic workers' experience has resulted in unproven assertions claims from US officials that Russian intelligence could be responsible for the incidents.

Symptoms

According to MedicineNet, Havana syndrome is a series of incapacitating symptoms that initially affected US embassy staffers and intelligence officers in Havana, Cuba, in late 2016. The year after, American diplomats in various parts of the world were reported to have complained of the same symptoms.

Researchers examining the condition have said that Havana syndrome, originally dismissed as mass hysteria or reaction resulting from psychosomatic causes like stress, may be an outcome of microwave weaponry.

Symptoms are the same as those of a mild head injury or concussion, and have more often than not, been reported by intelligence officers, diplomats, military officers, as well as their family members deployed on forest land.

Havana syndrome has affected over 130 individuals, with a few officials complaining of symptoms as they were on the US land. The symptoms, though, are not just distressing, although aftereffects also appear to last for a long time.

In the years that followed, much military personnel and intelligence officers reported symptoms like nausea, disorientation, and nausea that usually began with an abrupt onset of pressure and pain in the ears and head.

More so, they reported other symptoms like difficulty focusing, brain fog, light sensitivity, sleep-related complaints, and brain fog.

Treatment

Regrettably, according to a Boldsky report, there's no particular treatment method available for Havana syndrome patients. Nonetheless, some intensive treatment programs such as cognitive exercise, neurology exercise, brain-training exercises, and neuromuscular reeducation exercises are possibly effective in lessening symptoms and enhancing balance and cognitive functions in Havana syndrome patients.

Related report about Havana Syndrome is shown on TODAY's YouTube video below: