They investigate possible cases of Havana syndrome in Austria 2:24
(CNN) -
Vice President Kamala Harris' departure for Vietnam was delayed for several hours Tuesday afternoon after her office was informed by the US embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam, of a "possible anomalous health incident. recent".
That term is the government's way of referring to the mysterious Havana syndrome, which has sickened hundreds of US officials in recent years.
"Earlier this afternoon, the Vice President's travel delegation was delayed in leaving Singapore because the Vice President's office learned of a report on a recent possible anomalous health incident in Hanoi, Vietnam. After careful evaluation, the decision was made to continue the trip, "Rachael Chen, spokeswoman for the US embassy in Hanoi, said in a statement.
On board Air Force Two, Harris' chief spokeswoman, Symone Sanders, told reporters who were traveling on the same flight as Harris is "fine, everything is fine and looking forward to tomorrow's meetings in Hanoi."
He later said of the delay: "This has nothing to do with the vice president's health," according to a report.
The US investigates a possible mysterious attack near the White House similar to those that occurred against its personnel in Cuba and other countries
Finally, Harris took off from Singapore's Paya Lebar air base at 7:32 p.m. local time, after a delay of more than three hours.
What the white house said
On Tuesday afternoon, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tried to assure reporters of the vice president's safety in Vietnam, saying Harris "would not travel to a country if there was no confidence in her safety on the ground. ".
When asked if Harris or his staff were the target of a possible attack, Psaki said no further evaluation had been done.
He also declined to give additional details about security, such as how the administration will keep the vice president safe.
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"This is not a confirmed case at this time. We take any recently reported and publicly reported incidents very seriously. Accordingly, the vice president's safety has been assessed and it has been decided that she can continue. traveling with his staff, "said Psaki.
In addition, Psaki confirmed that those affected were not traveling with Harris, but declined to say how many people became ill.
Harris was not medically evaluated because she was not on the ground at the time the incident was reported.
The intelligence community does not yet have an official explanation for the Havana syndrome, which is a bewildering mix of sensory experiences and physical symptoms that have sickened hundreds of US diplomats, spies and troops around the world, some serious enough to force them to withdraw.
Acoustic attack in Cuba could be related to an insecticide destined to fight Zika, according to a study
CNN has not reported any case of Havana syndrome in Vietnam.
What is known as Havana Syndrome
Incidents of the Havana syndrome began in late 2016 in Cuba, and a Senate committee said earlier this year that the number of suspected cases appeared to be on the rise.
Victims of the Havana syndrome have reported a varied set of symptoms and physical sensations, such as sudden vertigo, nausea, headaches, and pressure in the head, sometimes accompanied by a "piercing directional noise."
Some have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries and continue to suffer debilitating headaches and other health problems years later.
Federal investigators in the United States have struggled to determine what or who causes the mysterious symptoms.
Cases have been recorded in Russia, China, and other countries around the world.
Last month, Austrian authorities said they were investigating reports that US diplomats in Vienna had experienced symptoms of Havana syndrome.
Earlier this year, CNN reported two separate incidents near the White House late last year that affected National Security Council personnel.
Two defense officials said in May that the Pentagon was drafting a memorandum for the entire United States military and civilian staff asking personnel to report any suspected abnormal health symptoms that could indicate they had been victims of the syndrome. from Havana.
CNN reported earlier this month on mounting frustration among State Department grassroots staff and diplomats over what several officials say has been a lukewarm response from the department's leadership, including the secretary of state. State Antony Blinken.
The Havana syndrome fuels fear and frustration among diplomats over the US State Department's response.
The purpose of the vice president's trip
The reported incident comes in the middle of Harris' trip to Singapore and Vietnam, in which the vice president tries to convey to the nations of Southeast Asia that the United States is sincere in its long-term commitment to the region.
White House officials say Harris's overall mission on this trip is to strengthen relationships with regional partners.
Expected to focus on regional security issues amid concerns over China's land claims in the South China Sea;
on economic priorities, including supply chain issues such as global chip production;
in climate change;
and in the covid-19 pandemic.
It is her second trip abroad as vice president.
Earlier this year, he traveled to Central America, a trip in which there were also problems, as Harris had to change planes moments before leaving for Guatemala due to a technical failure.
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Denise Hruby, Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood, Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Williams and Maegan Vazquez contributed to this report.
Kamala HarrisHavanaSyndromeVietnam