Canada- Global Affairs warns diplomats to watch for 'Havana Syndrome' symptoms among staff, Jan 2022

[dotr]

Canada warns diplomats to be on lookout for so-called 'Havana Syndrome' among staff | CP24.com
Jan 23 2022
''OTTAWA -- Canada's foreign ministry has advised staff serving around the world to watch for mysterious illness symptoms following unexplained health incidents among diplomats in Cuba and U.S. personnel in various countries.

In September, Global Affairs Canada began briefings with senior managers at headquarters in Ottawa, all heads of mission abroad and partners from other federal departments working at embassies, says a newly disclosed briefing note.

On Oct. 7, a broadcast message to all Global Affairs staff was issued, outlining the symptoms and how to report concerns, says the note, prepared in November for Melanie Joly, who had just been sworn in as Canada's latest foreign affairs minister.

Canadian diplomats and family members posted to Havana, Cuba, have reported difficulties since 2017, including headaches, loss of memory, inability to concentrate, cognitive and vision problems, noise sensitivity, dizziness, nausea, sleep disturbances, mood changes and nosebleeds.

Fifteen Canadians have received a confirmed working diagnosis of “acquired brain injury,” Global Affairs says.

Several U.S. personnel who worked in Cuba have reported similar health issues, commonly known as Havana Syndrome. More recently, there have been reports of symptoms among U.S. personnel in Washington, Austria and China.

“There continues to be ongoing media coverage of unexplained health incidents experienced by U.S. government staff abroad, which has understandably generated concerns among Government of Canada employees around the world,” says the November note to Joly.''

 

[dotr]

Jan 20 2022
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/havana-syndrome-interim-cia-report-1.6321562
''Starting in late 2016, dozens of U.S. and Canadian diplomats and their families stationed in Cuba started reporting unexplained concussion-like symptoms.

Canadian officials have said 14 diplomats and their relatives were among those affected by the unusual symptoms —such as visual disturbances and dizziness — while in Havana, with the last case reported in late 2018.

A Canadian study obtained by Radio-Canada's investigative TV program Enquête in 2019 said the cause of the mystery illness could have been neurotoxic agents used in pesticide fumigation.''

 

[dotr]

August 17, 2025

Lawyer ‘very confident’ a foreign adversary attacked Canadian diplomats in Cuba

A lawyer for Canadian diplomats and their families says he believes the mysterious ailments they suffered in Cuba were caused by a foreign adversary, despite a federal government report that dismisses the theory.

www.cp24.com

''Eight years after foreign service officials and their dependants began reporting such symptoms as headaches, memory loss, mood changes, vision problems, nausea and nosebleeds, a legal action against Ottawa over the health problems is still grinding along in Federal Court.

The 17 plaintiffs, who seek millions of dollars in damages, allege the Canadian government failed to protect them, hid crucial information and downplayed the seriousness of the risks. The government has denied negligence and wrongdoing.

Several U.S. personnel who worked in Cuba have reported similar health issues, commonly known as Havana Syndrome. Theories about the cause have included pesticide spraying, the effect of chirping crickets, malfunctioning eavesdropping devices, and targeted energy or sonic attacks by an enemy state.''