US warns of possible ‘sonic attack' in China

The US State Department is warning US citizens in China that a government employee reported unusual “sensations of sound and pressure” and was later diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury.

The case recalls a wave of so-called “sonic attacks” on US diplomats in Cuba.

A health alert sent yesterday said a US government employee assigned to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou reported “subtle and vague, but abnormal, sensations of sound and pressure.”

The notification said the department was not aware of any other cases inside or outside the diplomatic community.

But signalling the depth of their concern, the US Embassy in Beijing and all five US consulates in the country held meetings so employees could ask questions and raise concerns.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the US will send a medical team to Guangzhou next week to conduct baseline medical evaluations of all employees who desire one.

“The department is taking this incident very seriously and is working to determine the cause and impact of the incident,” said Nauert.

The US last year decided to withdraw a large number of embassy staff from Cuba after diplomats stationed there complained of symptoms such as hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, visual difficulties, headaches and fatigue.