Pentagon reveals senior official reported symptoms of ‘Havana syndrome’
Al Jazeera
The announcement comes after a news report raises questions about Russian involvement in ‘anomalous health incidents’.
A spokesperson for the Pentagon has confirmed that a senior official from the United States had reported symptoms corresponding to so-called Havana Syndrome after attending last year’s NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Sabrina Singh made the announcement to reporters on Monday, a day after a group of news outlets pointed to links between the mysterious ailment and alleged Russian operatives.
“I can confirm that a senior DOD [Department of Defense] official experienced symptoms similar to those reported in anomalous health incidents,” Singh said.
Reports of Havana Syndrome stretch back to 2016, when US embassy staff in Havana, Cuba, started to report unexplained symptoms including ringing ears, migraines, vertigo and cognitive dysfunction.
Other instances involving diplomats with similar symptoms have since been reported elsewhere, including in China and Austria.
