Havana syndrome is still under investigation, but it includes a range of health problems dating back to 2016, when employees working at the U.S. Embassy in Havana reported sudden, unexplained pressure in the head, headache or ear pain, and dizziness.
The health problems of senior US officials or their families were reported in a report on CBS’s “60 Minutes” program on Sunday, which suggested that Russia was behind the incidents, one of which was during the Summit of 2023 in Vilnius.
“I can confirm that a senior State Department official has experienced symptoms similar to those reported in anomalous health incidents,” Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters today, without commenting on Russia’s alleged role.
The senior official, who was not identified, was not part of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s official traveling delegation to Vilnius, Singh said, but was there “separately, participating in meetings that were part of the NATO Summit.”
The deputy secretary did not say whether the affected defense official had to seek further medical care, retire or cease performing duties, citing medical privacy.
In February, the Office of the Director of Intelligence, in its 2024 threat assessment, concluded that it was unlikely that a foreign entity was responsible for causing the mysterious illnesses, but noted that different “secret” sectors had varying levels of confidence in this conclusion.
The Pentagon’s health system has created a registry for employees or dependents to report these types of incidents.
In March, however, a five-year study by the National Institutes of Health found no brain injuries or degeneration among U.S. diplomats and other state employees who showed symptoms of Havana syndrome.
Tags: Senior official attended NATO summit symptoms Havana syndrome
