Havana Syndrome: Know all about this mysterious illness, findings of NAS study

A National Academies of Sciences (NAS) report has found that mystery illness suffered by US diplomats in Cuba was most likely caused by directed microwave radiation. The study, commissioned by the US State Department, released on Saturday does not mention that the “directed, pulsed radiofrequency energy” was delivered intentionally. 

Earlier in 2016, US diplomats and other employees stationed in Havana reportedly felt ill after hearing strange sounds and experienced physical sensations in their hotel rooms or homes. These US officials had felt symptoms including nausea, severe headaches, fatigue, dizziness, sleep problems, and hearing loss. These symptoms have been reported to be as “Havana Syndrome”.

More than two dozen US diplomats and members of their families in Cuba and China and at least 14 Canadian citizens in Havana reportedly experienced similar symptoms. Some of the affected employees recovered from these odd symptoms but others continued to feel the effect that affected their work as well as their normal lives.

The NAS report, titled “An assessment of illness in US government employees and their families at overseas embassies”, reportedly examined four possibilities to explain the symptoms — infection, chemicals, psychological factors, and microwave energy.