Politics
State Department Issues New Countrywide Health Alert For China As US Diplomats Fall Ill Amid Sonic Attack Fears
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The Department of State expanded a health alert for Americans in China Friday, noting for the first time that the mysterious symptoms experienced by U.S. diplomats are “consistent with what other U.S. government personnel experienced in Havana, Cuba.”
The department evacuated an employee at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou in late May. The individual was diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury after experiencing “subtle and vague, but abnormal, sensations of sound and pressure,” said a relevant State Department health alert released on May 23 for the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. The incident has revived fears that U.S. diplomatic personnel are being targeted by sonic attacks of an unknown origin.
The department warned anyone with “concerns about symptoms or medical problems that developed during or after a stay in China” to “consult a medical professional,” in the alert.
The Department of State updated the alert and expanded the scope countrywide alert Friday.
“The State Department received medical confirmation that a U.S. government employee in China suffered a medical incident consistent with what other U.S. government personnel experienced in Havana, Cuba. As a result of additional voluntary medical screenings, the Department has sent other individuals to the United States for further evaluation,” the alert read.
“If you or members of your family experience any unusual, unexplained physical symptoms or events, auditory or sensory phenomena, or other health concerns, please contact your health care provider to determine whether a medical evaluation and/or treatment is advisable,” the Department of State’s new health alert explained. “Symptoms to be attentive for include dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, fatigue, cognitive issues, visual problems, ear complaints and hearing loss, and difficulty sleeping.”
The latest alert followed more evacuations Wednesday, which included the extraction of Mark Lenzi, an employee at the consulate in Guangzhou, along with his wife and child, all of whom were experiencing neurological symptoms that appeared after they began hearing unusual sounds.
The symptoms experienced by the affected individuals in China are “consistent” with those experienced by U.S. diplomatic staff in Cuba in 2017, the Department of State noted Friday. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had previously noted that the situation was “entirely consistent” with what happened in Havana. A health team is in China conducting screenings, and an investigation into the situation is underway.
The incident in Cuba that negatively impacted 24 American diplomats and their families remains unsolved at this time.
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