The New York Times: “There is a growing crisis around a mysterious disease that affects American diplomats and their relatives (first it happened in Cuba, and recently manifested itself in China). On Wednesday, the State Department evacuated from China at least two more Americans.”
“The evacuees worked at the US consulate in the southern city of Guangzhou, and their colleagues and family members are now being examined by a State Department medical team, officials said. It is unclear whether many developed symptoms, but a State Department spokesman said Wednesday night that "several individuals" have been sent to the US for further testing."
“US officials have feared for months that US diplomats were being targeted, accompanied by strange sounds and causing symptoms similar to those following a concussion or minor traumatic brain injury,” the State Department said.
“The cases in China lend a broader dimension to the medical mystery that emerged in 2016 when US Embassy officials and their families began to fall ill in Havana. A total of 24 people suffered from headaches and nausea, hearing loss, cognitive problems and other symptoms after they said they heard strange sounds. This problem spoiled relations with Cuba, whose authorities immediately came under suspicion, and prompted the United States to expel Cuban diplomats.”
“But now that Americans have similar symptoms in Guangzhou, US officials have raised their suspicions that other countries, perhaps China or Russia, may be to blame for what happened. This will surely complicate relations with both countries, already damaged by economic, political and security issues."
In Guangzhou, the sick lived in apartment complexes inhabited by other foreigners and wealthy Chinese. It was there that the Americans heard strange noises.
“But it remains unclear whether the disease is actually caused by some kind of attacks. There are other theories: about toxins, about bugs that inadvertently make harmful sounds, and even about mass hysteria."
In China, the first consular officer fell ill this spring, and in May the US government urged other employees to see doctors for unusual ailments. On Wednesday, consular officer Mark E. Lenzi, who was in charge of security systems, was evacuated from Guangzhou, along with his wife and two children.
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“Traumatic injuries in Cuba, as well as in China, appeared after disturbing auditory and vibration sensations, which different people described in different ways - they say, it was like the sounds of cicadas or radio interference, like the rumble of sheet metal in the wind or, in the case of Lenzi, to the noise of stone balls rolling down a metal funnel”.
Lenzi said in an interview that he lived in the same apartment building at The Canton Place as an unnamed consular officer who was evacuated to the United States in April. "Another diplomat who reported symptoms lived in another elite building near the consulate."
“The officials stressed that even if someone is evacuated for further examination, it does not necessarily mean that he is injured or sick. Only 25% of those who were evacuated from Cuba later had health problems.”