Canada pulls diplomats' families over mystery illness

Cuba -- Sky News reports that Canada pulled the families of their diplomats from the Cuban embassy due to a mysterious illness that affects the brain. The embassy will be designated an unaccompanied post now that diplomats will have to live there alone.

The Havana post now mirrors those in Iraq and Afghanistan as being too dangerous for families of diplomats.

Canadian officials will also consider bringing up to 15 staff home if they are not considered crucial to the diplomatic mission.

Ten Canadians, including children, have been affected by the illness. The symptoms noted are headaches, nose bleeds, short-term memory loss, hearing loss, nausea and dizziness.

Canadian researchers discovered that some of those affected heard a "novel localized sound at the onset of symptoms in their homes or hotel rooms," usually described as "intensely loud, and with a pure and sustained tonality."

Twenty-four diplomats have also been affected, beginning in 2016. Canada decided to cut its Havana staffing by two-thirds in October, due to the problem.

Former secretary of state Rex Tillerson called the attacks, at the time, "targeted attacks."

Canadian officials said there haven't been any incidents since 2017 but families who have returned to our frozen neighbors to the north continue to suffer symptoms, sometimes improving before their symptoms return once more.

The cause is unknown but initial suggestions by American experts  of a sonic attack or psychosomatic causes have been deemed unlikely. Air and water have also been tested with negative results.

University of Michigan computer scientists believe the symptoms may be due to eavesdropping devices and the ultrasonic distortion they produce, which can be harmful.

Global Affairs Canada said medical specialists who examined the sufferers had "raised concerns for a new type of a possible acquired brain injury." The added: "Additional research is needed to better understand this. The cause remains unknown  but could be human-made."

No tourists have fallen ill and Canadian officials believe Cuba is safe for holiday visitors.

The Cuban government claims it doesn't know the cause of the illness and has been working with the U.S. and Canadian officials to look into the matter.



Tweet