What Is The Vietnam Syndrome

Possible case of 'Havana syndrome' in Vietnam delays Vice President Harris' visit

Vietnam is the latest state where the mysterious incident has been reported.

Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to Vietnam on Tuesday was interrupted by a study of an "anomalous health incident," the U.South. Embassy in Hanoi said in a statement -- the latest instance of the mysterious onset of medical symptoms more commonly referred to every bit "Havana syndrome."

This is the outset public report of an incident in Vietnam and the beginning publicly reported case involving a senior U.S. leader's travel overseas.

The source of the unexplained health incidents, which now number over 130 possible cases, remains unknown, vexing U.Southward. officials amidst multiple investigations and task forces past the CIA, State Department and National Security Council, which is leading a government-wide probe.

It's been about five years since State Section, CIA and other personnel at the U.Southward. Diplomatic mission in Havana kickoff reported strange experiences, like feelings of force per unit area or vibration and a screeching sound and debilitating symptoms, including headaches, nausea, cognitive deficits and problem with seeing, hearing or balancing. Several officials take been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.

PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she departs Singapore for travel to Vietnam, Aug., 24, 2021. — Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she departs Singapore for travel to Vietnam, Aug., 24, 2021.

Evelyn Hockstein/POOL/Reuters

Since and then, cases take been reported in several other countries, including China, Uzbekistan, Russia, Austria, Frg and the U.s.a., although it's unclear how many U.S. officials have confirmed medical symptoms.

"While this is not a confirmed case at this signal in time, we accept any reported incident ... quite seriously," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki, adding that the incident was reported recently and affected ane U.South. staffer at the embassy, not a fellow member of the vice president'southward team.

"It was an private who was in country and had been reported previously," Psaki added, maxim a security assessment was conducted and decided that Harris could travel ahead.

The vice president was set to go far in Hanoi Tuesday during a bout of Southeast Asia, merely her departure from Singapore was delayed by over three hours. She arrived several hours later on, ignoring reporters' shouted questions on the tarmac.

"She is well. All is fine," Harris's spokesperson Symone Sanders told reporters before her departure from Singapore.

Information technology's unclear how many health incidents have been reported at the U.Southward. mission in Vietnam, but information technology was a single incident that acquired concern among Harris' team and the embassy.

"The Vice President's office was made enlightened of a written report of a recent possible anomalous health incident in Hanoi, Vietnam. Later on careful cess, the conclusion was fabricated to continue with the Vice President'due south trip," according to the U.S. Embassy's argument.

The administration has declined to provide more data, including when the incident took identify or whether the official was medically evacuated.

A Country Section spokesperson told ABC News that the bureau is "enlightened of reports of possible UHIs (unexplained health incidents) in Vietnam" -- another term they use internally for "Havana syndrome" cases -- but declined to speak to individual cases, including whether anyone was evacuated. Just the spokesperson said for Havana syndrome cases, a medevac is not necessarily specialized transportation out of the country, simply "a consultation in the United states, or another medical middle of excellence, to ascertain the best appropriate intendance."

PHOTO: The U.S. Embassy, center, stands in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 17, 2019. — The U.S. Embassy, center, stands in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 17, 2019.

Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE

Last week, the Land Department confirmed that it was aware of reported cases at the U.S. mission in Frg. Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that they "vigorously investigate" all "unexplained health incidents and provide "immediate and advisable attention and care" to employees who written report one.

Many U.S. officials accept grown frustrated with leadership, during both the Trump and Biden administrations, for a lack of information about reported cases or for non being proactive enough in providing treatment and care.

In his showtime notation to all staff about the issue, Secretary of Country Antony Blinken best-selling the administration "tin can and will practise a amend job keeping you lot informed of our efforts to get answers, support those afflicted, and protect our people," according to the note, obtained first by ABC News.

But the lack of data stems in part from how little the U.S. government knows about what was one time referred to every bit "health attacks," including what is causing them.

Final December, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine issued a written report that concluded that "directed, pulsed radio frequency free energy appears to exist the most plausible mechanism in explaining these cases, specially in individuals with the distinct early symptoms."

The CIA, State Department and Pentagon all have their ain internal task forces to address cases among their personnel and search for possible clues into the causes. The State Department'southward is overseen past Pamela Spratlen, a ii-time administrator, while the CIA assigned a veteran officeholder critical to the agency's efforts to notice Osama bin Laden to now head its cell.

In addition, the State Department started a pilot plan to begin recording baseline medical information of personnel and their developed family members before they move to U.S. diplomatic posts overseas.

Similarly, the CIA has tripled the number of full-time medical personnel focused on the issue, according to its managing director Beak Burns. He told NPR last calendar month that while the symptoms are "real, and it'southward serious," the agency still has no definitive answers on the cause.

ABC News' Justin Gomez contributed to this report from the White House.