Beginning in late 2016, U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers posted in Cuba began reporting sudden, disorienting episodes: a loud, directional sound or pressure, followed by headaches, dizziness, nausea, memory problems, and trouble sleeping.
The phenomenon — now widely known as “Havana syndrome” — has since been reported by hundreds, perhaps more than a thousand, U.S. government employees. Those also affected include spouses and family members at home and abroad. It’s still unclear whether the episodes were the result of an attack. Some also think they might be the product of an environmental exposure. Or instead, Havana syndrome could be a cluster of unrelated medical and psychological conditions.
