What is Havana Syndrome – Facts About The Mysterious Illness
In 2015, US and Cuba restored diplomatic relations after decades of hostility.
However, within two years, the Havana Syndrome started amongst US embassy staff in Cuba, leading to the embassy almost being shut down and the staff being withdrawn due to welfare concerns.
It was initially speculated that the Cuban government might be responsible, having used some form of sonic weapon for the attack.
Nevertheless, the theory faded as new cases were seen around the world.
This mysterious malady was noted in December 2016, when the US Embassy diplomats and CIA officers in Havana began to report and complain of mysterious symptoms.
A most recent case was reported in 2020 by a pair of National Safety Council staff, who claimed to have experienced the symptoms outside the White House and claimed that it felt like they would die.
For the past four years, medical experts and US intelligence agencies have been researching the root cause of Havana Syndrome.
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Table of Contents
What is Havana Syndrome?
The malady starts with a sound, which victims have described as buzzing, grinding metal or piercing squeals.
A particular victim described it as a low hum coupled with intense pressure on the skull, while another described it as a pulse of pain.
Moreover, those who heard no sound felt pressure or heat in their heads. Victims are said to be left dizzy and fatigued for months.
A major setback is that the symptom differs from person to person, and the lack of rigorous data.
In addition, information shared between research bodies has lacked uniformity, leading to the claims being cast aside.
Little or no access is given to outsiders concerning data from the research carried out due to the need to safeguard undercover CIA workers’ identities and medical profiles.
The government officials call the Havana Syndrome publicly an Anomalous Health Incident, but privately the top officials call it an attack.
Two distinct theories on the causes of this syndrome include a report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), both published in 2020.
The report from the National Academics claims that four attack vectors were involved: Directed radio-frequency energy, psychological and social factors, chemicals and infectious agents.
JAMA shared the same report with directed energy weapons viewed as the most plausible cause.
The conclusions by both JAMA and National Academics were not accepted by the FBI and some neurologists who claim the victims were suffering from a mass psychogenic illness, with individuals experiencing neurological symptoms without environmental or physical explanation.
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What are the Symptoms of Havana Syndrome
The symptoms of Havana Syndrome vary according to individual.
It started with individuals falling sick without warning, with symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, dizziness, headaches, vertigo, hearing and vision loss, severe cognitive impairment, tinnitus, and loss of motor control.
The syndrome is complex, painful and quite inconsistent. Victims of Havana syndrome have described it as a form of pressure, the noise of a swarm of cicadas filling their heads.
Others have described it as a targeted attack against certain people.
What is the possible cause of Havana Syndrome?
A professor at the University of Illinois, James Lin, read the reports of the Havana mysterious sound and suspected that microwaves might have caused it.
Around World War Two, rumours emerged of people being able to hear a sound when a radar nearby was switched on and began emitting microwaves into the sky, even without any external noise.
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Is it limited to just US officials?
The illness is not limited to only US officials; there have been reports of the mysterious illness among individuals worldwide.
Over 200 diplomats, NSC personnel, DOD, Spies from US embassies worldwide and at home have experienced all or some of these symptoms hence why it is called an attack against US officials.
Effects of Havana Syndrome
Brain scans from victims of Havana syndrome reveal tissue damage with concussions, the same type typically seen in bomb blasts or car accident victims with a head injury.
Hopefully, more information on the causes and prevention of the syndrome will come to light with time.
Disclaimer: Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is at your own risk. This article is strictly for informational purposes. The author is not a medical practitioner and as such you should not substitute the information here for professional advice.
