Mysterious 'Havana Syndrome' reported in Hanoi caused delay of VP Harris departure from S'pore

The vice president's flight to Vietnam was delayed for several hours.

Sulaiman Daud | August 25, 2021, 11:07 AM

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U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris's departure from Singapore to Vietnam was delayed by several hours on Aug. 25.

At the time, no reason was given for the delay. However, U.S. officials have since shed light on what occurred.

The Guardian reported that the an investigation was carried out into two possible cases of Havana Syndrome in Hanoi, the city where Harris was supposed to touch down.

What is Havana Syndrome?

In 2016, U.S. officials in the embassy in Havana, Cuba, reported strange debilitating conditions, according to ABC:

"Strange experiences, like feelings of pressure or vibration and a screeching sound and debilitating symptoms, including headaches, nausea, cognitive deficits and trouble with seeing, hearing or balancing. Several officials have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries."

Cases have been reported in other countries, like Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Germany, and the U.S. itself.

Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that while the Havana Syndrome was not confirmed, the U.S. takes reports of such incidents very seriously.

One of the victims was a staffer working at the embassy in Hanoi, and not any member of the vice president's delegation.

A security assessment was made, which gave Harris the green light to continue her Asian tour.

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Top image from VP's Instagram page.

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