Number Of 'Havana Syndrome' Incidents Declined Starting 2021 - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd March, 2023) The number of anomalous health incidents known as "Havana syndrome" has declined precipitously since 2021, US State Department spokesperson Ned price said on Wednesday.

"I can tell you that the number of reported cases of anomalous health incidents has declined fairly precipitously since 2021. There was a decline between 2021 and 2022 and, so far this year, there has been a decline between those cases that were reported as of this date last year and as of this date this year," Price said during a press briefing.

Earlier in the day, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) published a new report on anomalous health incidents.

According to the report, five agencies concluded that available intelligence "consistently" points at a "very unlikely" involvement of US adversaries, including Russia, in causing the reported incidents.

More specifically, the agencies found that the medical analysis, which has evolved since the first reports of the incidents, points away from adversary involvement.

At the same time, the spokesperson pointed out that as with every intelligence assessment, "the book is never fully closed" and the State Department will continue to look into every single case of health anomalies and analyze all available sources of information.

US diplomats were first diagnosed with Havana Syndrome in Cuba in 2016 and then in China in 2018. The diplomats said they experienced piercing sounds that have caused longer-term health effects. American diplomats in Russia, Tajikistan, Austria, and several African countries have also reported experiencing Havana Syndrome symptoms, including nausea and dizziness.

In 2022, the first victims of the alleged attacks reportedly began receiving compensation between $100,000 and $200,000, US President Joe Biden announced in June.