Havana syndrome facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Havana syndrome
The Hotel Nacional in Havana is one of the locations where the syndrome has reportedly been experienced.
Causes	Not determined
Similar conditions	Mass psychogenic illness, psychosomatic illness
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Havana syndrome is a group of strange health problems with no clear cause. It was mostly reported by U.S. government workers and military people when they were in other countries. The symptoms include pain, ringing in the ears (called Tinnitus), and trouble thinking clearly. These problems were first noticed in 2016 by U.S. and Canadian embassy staff in Havana, Cuba.

Later, more people, including U.S. intelligence and military families, reported these problems in places like China, New Delhi, Europe, and Washington, D.C.. The U.S. Department of State and other government groups call these events "Anomalous Health Incidents" (AHI). However, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, William J. Burns, has called them attacks.

Scientists do not agree on what causes Havana syndrome. In 2020, a group of experts from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine said that microwave energy (a type of radio energy) seemed to be the most likely cause. But they also said that every possible cause was still just a guess. Other ideas for the cause include ultrasound, pesticides, or mass psychogenic illness (when many people feel sick from stress or worry).

Until March 2023, U.S. intelligence groups had not officially decided what caused Havana syndrome. Some U.S. officials told the news that they suspected Russian military intelligence was involved. But in January 2022, the Central Intelligence Agency said that the syndrome was probably not caused by "a worldwide effort by an enemy country." They looked at 1,000 cases and found that foreign involvement was unlikely in 976 of them.

In February 2022, a group of experts working with the U.S. government said that stress or mental reactions could not explain some of the Havana syndrome cases. They also said that radio waves might have caused some injuries to CIA officers and diplomats. Around the same time, the State Department asked the JASON Advisory Group to investigate. This group later said it was unlikely that a directed energy attack caused the health problems.

In March 2023, seven U.S. intelligence agencies finished their review of Havana syndrome cases. They agreed that "information consistently shows that U.S. enemies were not involved" and that it was "very unlikely" that a foreign country caused the incidents. Some people have criticized how the news reported on Havana syndrome. They say the media did not question the U.S. government's claims enough, especially about a "mysterious, never invented microwave weapon."

What Happened to U.S. Diplomats?

Some U.S. embassy workers have had lasting health problems. For example, one diplomat now needs a hearing aid. People who were affected described problems like hearing loss, memory loss, and feeling sick to their stomach. Many people thought a sonic weapon might be the cause, with some researchers suggesting infrasound (very low-frequency sound) as a possible reason.

In August 2017, the United States sent two Cuban diplomats home. This was because the U.S. thought Cuba was responsible for the problems. The next month, the U.S. State Department said it was taking non-essential staff out of the U.S. embassy in Havana. It also told U.S. citizens not to travel to Cuba. In October 2017, President Donald Trump said he believed Cuba was responsible, calling the events a "very unusual attack."

In March 2018, the U.S. State Department announced it would keep its embassy in Havana with only the necessary staff. This was to handle important diplomatic tasks. The embassy had been working with fewer staff since September 2017, and this announcement made the staff cuts last longer.

Beyond Cuba: Other Locations Affected

Starting in late 2017, suspected attacks on U.S. intelligence workers were reported in more places around the world. These included Moscow, Russia; Tbilisi, Georgia; Poland; Taiwan; and Australia. There were also reports from Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Austria, among other countries.

The U.S. government has not shared the exact number of people affected. However, news reports said there were about 130 possible cases by May 2021, and over 200 by mid-September 2021. These cases affected people from the CIA, U.S. military, and State Department, as well as their family members. After investigations, some reports were thought to be related to Havana syndrome, while others were not. In 2021, BBC News reported that "One former official thinks about half the cases reported by US officials are possibly linked to attacks by an adversary."

Why Some Suspect Russia

Many current and former U.S. officials believe Russia was likely behind the suspected attacks. This idea is shared by officials from both the Trump and Biden governments. CIA analysts who study Russia, State Department officials, outside science experts, and several people who experienced the symptoms also share this view.

Russia has a history of studying, developing, and using weapons that can cause brain injuries. An example is the "Moscow Signal" from the Cold War era, which targeted the American embassy in Moscow. A 2014 report from the NSA (National Security Agency) suggested that Russia used a microwave weapon to target someone's home, causing damage to their nervous system. Also, Russia has an interest in stopping cooperation between the U.S., China, and Cuba. The U.S. diplomats in China and Cuba who reported problems were working to improve relations with those countries. Some CIA analysts suspected Russia wanted to stop their work.

Laws Passed to Help Victims

In response to Havana syndrome, U.S. Senator Susan Collins introduced a bill (S. 1828). Nine other senators from both major parties supported it. This bill aimed to fix a problem in the Federal Employees' Compensation Act that did not usually cover damage to organs like the brain and heart. The bill was called the Helping American Victims Afflicted by Neurological Attacks (HAVANA) Act. It allowed the CIA Director and the Secretary of State to give money to personnel with brain injuries.

The bill passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 427 to 0. It then passed the Senate with everyone agreeing. President Joe Biden signed it into law on October 8, 2021. This law became Public Law No. 117-46. Money for the HAVANA Act has not been officially approved yet, but it has been included in plans for a Defense Department spending bill.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, passed in December 2021, also included rules about Havana syndrome. It told the president to choose a senior official to coordinate efforts across the government. This person would work with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The law also required government agencies to name a high-level person to lead efforts related to these health incidents. And it told agencies to create guidelines for employees who might be at risk.

See also

In Spanish: Síndrome de La Habana para niños

• Cuba–United States relations
• Directed-energy weapon
• Moscow Signal
• Russia–United States relations