Sounds, nausea and brain damage? What we know about Havana Syndrome.

Jul 27, 2021 at 08:05 AM CDT

Shannon Longworth

havana syndrome

The CIA investigation into “Havana Syndrome” will be led by an official who helped find Osama bin Laden, according to a government source. This move comes as Vienna, Austria, has developed into the latest hotspot for the ailment.

The number of U.S. officials suffering from the symptoms continues to grow, but the cause remains unclear.

Shannon Longworth

Shannon Longworth was an investigative reporter and anchor for Straight Arrow News from 2021 to 2023. She started her career on California’s central coast, then made her way back home working in the sprawling suburbs of New York City

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LONGWORTH: WHAT IF YOU HEAR A WEIRD RINGING NOISE, SUDDENLY YOUR HEAD STARTS TO HURT, MAYBE YOU GET DIZZY, AND END UP WITH A *BRAIN INJURY*?!

SOUNDS LIKE SCIENCE FICTION. IT’S NOT.

IT’S CALLED HAVANA SYNDROME, AND IT IS VERY REAL.

LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT.

THESE SYMPTOMS—ALONG WITH HEARING LOSS, AND NAUSEA—

ARE COMMON AMONG US DIPLOMATS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OVERSEAS WHO HAVE THE ILLNESS.

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS CONFIRMED SOME HERE ON U-S- SOIL, AS WELL.

IT’S CALLED “HAVANA SYNDROME” BECAUSE

THE FIRST CASES INVOLVED OFFICIALS AT THE US EMBASSY IN CUBA IN 2016.

SINCE THEN, AS MANY AS 130 PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR SYMPTOMS, ACCORDING TO NEWS REPORTS…

AND NOT JUST IN CUBA.

CASES HAVE ALSO CROPPED UP IN CHINA, AND MORE RECENTLY,

VIENNA, AUSTRIA’S, BECOME A HOTSPOT.

SO, IF YOU’RE WONDERING WHAT IS CAUSING THIS MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS, THE HONEST ANSWER IS WE DON’T ACTUALLY KNOW FOR SURE.

THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE SAYS A “DIRECTED, PULSED RADIO FREQUENCY ENERGY APPEARS TO BE THE MOST PLAUSIBLE MECHANISM IN EXPLAINING THESE CASES.”

BUT THEY DIDN’T RULE OUT OTHER POTENTIAL CAUSES.

NOW, AS TO WHO OR WHAT IS DOING IT, WE DON’T KNOW THE FULL STORY.

MUCH OF IT IS CLASSIFIED.

THE CIA CREATED A TASK FORCE TO LOOK INTO IT…AND ACTUALLY

PUT THE OFFICER WHO HELPED FIND *OSAMA BIN LADEN* IN CHARGE.

THERE ARE A FEW THEORIES, BUT MANY SPECULATE ANOTHER COUNTRY, LIKE RUSSIA, IS USING SOME SORT OF RADIATION DEVICE TO TARGET AMERICANS.

FOR NOW, IT’S A MYSTERY.

GOT IT STRAIGHT? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS.

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