Sick US diplomats in China sent home for further evaluation

The US State Department on Wednesday said it had sent several government employees evaluated over mystery symptoms similar to those reported by personnel in China back to the United States for further assessment.

Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said a medical team was sent to Guangzhou, China, after an American employee fell ill last month, reviving fears that a US rival has developed some kind of invisible acoustic or microwave device.

"The safety and security of US personnel and their families is our top priority," Nauert said in a statement.

"As a result of the screening process so far, the Department has sent a number of individuals for further evaluation and a comprehensive assessment of their symptoms and findings in the United States," she added, confirming doctors would work to determine if the symptoms showed consistencies with those reported in Cuba.

Last year, 24 US diplomats and their family members in Cuba fell victim to mysterious "attacks" that left them with injuries resembling brain trauma. Ten Canadian diplomats and their relatives also suffered a strange illness.

The US has now set up a task force to oversee the response to the mystery ailments among diplomats in both countries, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday.

A State Department statement yesterday made no reference to the possibility of a deliberate attack in China.

However, it did warn that US diplomats should alert their mission's medical staff "if they note new onset of symptoms that may have begun in association with experiencing unidentified auditory sensations."

"Reported symptoms have included dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, fatigue, cognitive issues, visual problems, ear complaints and hearing loss, and difficulty sleeping," the statement said. —Agence France-Presse