US diplomats in Geneva and Paris allegedly hit by ‘Havana Syndrome’
Several American diplomats in Geneva and Paris were reportedly struck with suspected “Havana Syndrome” last year – a mysterious ailment that has affected up to 200 US officials in diplomatic posts worldwide.
This content was published on
2 minutes
WSJ/RTS/Reuters/sb
Русский
ru
Дипломаты США в Женеве и Париже стали жертвами «гаванского синдрома»?
The Wall Street Journalreported on ThursdayExternal link that at least three Americans serving at the US consulate in Geneva were suspected to have been afflicted by the syndrome last summer, which the Biden administration has dubbed an “anomalous health incident”.
“At least one of those officials was medevaced [evacuated by air] from Switzerland to the US for treatment,” it wrote.
In Paris, senior embassy officials informed diplomats via email about a suspected case, the officials said.
The paper said the suspected attacks were reported internally last summer to officials in the two cities and eventually to the State Department in Washington.
When questioned about the revelations on Thursday by the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA, a spokesperson for the US State Department declined to comment, citing security reasons.
The Swiss Federal Intelligence Service confirmed to Keystone-SDA on Friday that it is aware of cases Havana Syndrome among several US diplomats in Geneva. But it refused to comment further. The Swiss foreign ministry is also in contact with the US embassy about the affair, it stated.
Migraines, nausea and dizziness
The mysterious ailment has symptoms including migraines, nausea, memory lapses and dizziness. It was first reported among US officials in the Cuban capital in 2016.
“To date, we don’t know exactly what’s happened and we don’t know exactly who is responsible,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with MSNBC on Thursday.
Blinken said the federal government was continuing to investigate the illness which has afflicted about 200 US diplomats, officials and family members worldwide.
Popular Stories
More
Multinational companies
Azeri fossil-fuel cash cow brings controversy to Switzerland
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
Snowden’s memoir: Key takeaways on his time in Geneva
This content was published on
Former US spy Edward Snowden has published his memoir. We take a closer look at the chapter on the two years he spent in Geneva.
Russian spying has ‘calmed down’, says Swiss foreign minister
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Geneva on Wednesday for a working lunch.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.