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By Jasmine Wright, Kevin Liptak, Jeremy Diamond and Kate Sullivan, CNN
Vice President Kamala Harris’ departure from Vietnam has been delayed several hours Tuesday afternoon after her office was informed by the US Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam, of a “report of a recent possible abnormal health incident”.
This term is the way the government usually refers to the mysterious Havana syndrome that has sickened hundreds of American officials in recent years.
“Earlier in the evening, the Vice President’s traveling delegation was delayed from leaving Singapore because the Vice President’s office was made aware of a report of a recent abnormal health incident in Hanoi,” In Vietnam. After careful evaluation, the decision was taken to continue the vice president’s trip, ”Rachael Chen, spokesperson for the US Embassy in Hanoi, said in a statement.
On board Air Force Two, Harris chief spokesperson Symone Sanders told traveling reporters that Harris is “fine, everything is fine and is looking forward to the meetings in Hanoi tomorrow.” She later said of the delay, “It has nothing to do with the vice president’s health,” according to a pool report.
Harris finally took off from Paya Lebar Air Force Base in Singapore at 7:32 p.m. local time after a delay of more than three hours.
At the White House press conference on Tuesday afternoon, White House press secretary Jen Psaki attempted to assure reporters of the vice president’s safety in Vietnam, saying Harris “did would travel no further into a country if there was no confidence in its security on the ground. . “
When asked if Harris or his staff were the target of a possible attack, Psaki said no further assessment had been made. She also declined to elaborate on additional security details, such as how the administration will ensure the security of the vice president.
“This is not a confirmed case at this time. We take any reported incident that was recent and has been publicly reported, I will point out, very seriously. chair was carried out and it was decided that she could continue to travel with her staff, ”Psaki said.
Psaki confirmed those affected were not traveling with Harris but declined to say how many people have fallen ill. Harris was not medically assessed because she was not on the ground when the incident was reported.
The intelligence community still has no official explanation for Havana Syndrome, which is a confusing mix of sensory experiences and physical symptoms that have now sickened hundreds of US diplomats, spies and soldiers. across the world – some severely enough to force retirement.
CNN has not reported any cases of Havana Syndrome in Vietnam.
Incidents of 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 Havana Syndrome have reported a diverse set of symptoms and physical sensations, including sudden dizziness, nausea, headache and pressure in the head, sometimes accompanied by a “piercing directional noise”. Some have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and continue to suffer from debilitating headaches and other health problems years later.
U.S. federal investigators have struggled to determine what or who is causing the mysterious symptoms. Cases have been reported in Russia, China and other countries around the world. Austrian authorities said last month they were investigating reports that US diplomats in Vienna had shown symptoms of Havana Syndrome.
Earlier this year, CNN reported two separate incidents which occurred near the White House late last year affecting National Security Council staff.
Two defense officials said in May that the Pentagon was drafting a note for all U.S. military and civilian personnel asking personnel to report any so-called abnormal health symptoms that could indicate they were a victim of the Havana syndrome.
CNN reported earlier this month this frustration is growing among State Department core staff and diplomats over what several officials say was a lukewarm response from department leaders, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The reported incident comes amid Harris’s trip to Singapore and Vietnam, as the vice president seeks to convey to Southeast Asian countries that the United States is sincere in its long-term commitment to the region.
White House officials said Harris’ main mission on the trip was to strengthen relationships with regional partners. It should focus on regional security issues amid concerns over China’s land claims in the South China Sea; economic priorities, including supply chain issues such as global chip production; climate change; and the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is her second trip abroad as Vice President. Earlier this year, she traveled to Central America – a trip that also experienced travel issues, as Harris had to change planes moments before leaving for Guatemala due to a technical issue.
This story has been updated with additional information.
The-CNN-Wire
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CNN’s Denise Hruby, Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood, Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Williams and Maegan Vazquez contributed to this report.
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