Did Havana Syndrome cases delay Harris trip?

HANOI: US officials are continuing to investigate two possible cases of the so-called Havana Syndrome health incidents that delayed vice-president Kamala Harris’s trip from Singapore to Vietnam.

The investigation was in its early stages and officials deemed it safe for Harris to make her scheduled stop in Vietnam, after initially hitting pause for a few hours on Tuesday. Harris on her trip is reassuring Asian allies after the tumultuous evacuation of US forces from Afghanistan.

The Havana Syndrome is the name for a rash of mysterious health incidents first reported by American diplomats and other government employees in the Cuban capital beginning in 2016.

US officials had not yet confirmed the latest reported Havana Syndrome case, and it did not involve anyone travelling with Harris, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday. In light of the reports, “there was an assessment done of the safety of the vice-president, and there was a decision made that she could continue travel along with her staff”, Psaki said.

There have been two separate cases of unexplained health incidents reported by US personnel in Vietnam within the past week, US officials revealed.

It was not immediately clear who was impacted by the syndrome, though officials said it was not someone who worked for the US vice-president or the White House, according to the officials.

Some of those impacted by the Havana Syndrome report hearing a loud piercing sound and feeling intense pressure in the face. Pain, nausea and dizziness sometimes follow.

Similar unexplained health ailments have been reported by Americans serving in Germany, Austria, Russia and China over the past few years.