The Trump Administration reached out to University of Miami medical experts after American diplomats in Havana continuously became sick and experienced severe hearing loss, according to a New York Times report.
Diplomats reportedly have also experienced other symptoms such as headaches and dizziness at the embassy since it opened during former President Barack Obama’s restoration of diplomatic relations with the island nation.
The hearing loss in particular has been so severe that many diplomats have returned to the US with at least six patients being treated in UM’s hospital this year - and a UM specialist traveled to Havana this month to examine diplomats experiencing this nameless illness.
US officials have also stated that the diplomats were exposed to a sonic wave device either within or outside of the diplomats’ homes, which are owned and run by Cuba’s government.
The illness reports date back to 2016, State Department officials told the paper. Canadian diplomats have reportedly also become sick.
On August 10, the Cuban Foreign Ministry told the Times that “Cuba has never allowed or will it allow the Cuban territory to be used for any action against accredited diplomatic officials or their families, without exception."
