The Chinese government is ready to cooperate with the United States in finding the source of the diplomat's nausea, earache and dizziness.
Yesterday, the US Embassy in China issued a statement that one of the workers experienced "subtle but abnormal sensations of sound and pressure." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo explained that these are symptoms similar to those experienced by diplomats in Cuba during the "sonic attacks" in 2016 and 2017.
American researchers still haven't figured out what caused the ear pain, nausea, and dizziness in Cuban employees. However, the case in the PRC is somewhat different. Here's what is known at the moment.
When did it become a problem in China
According to CNN, an embassy worker in Guangzhou began showing symptoms in late 2017. This continued until April 2018. He was returned to the United States for examination, the results of which were learned at the embassy in Guangzhou this May.
What does this case have in common with the incident in Cuba
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The State Department described “Cuban” symptoms as something a person experiences after mild brain injury. CNN also described the state of the embassy employee in China. In this case, only one person complained of symptoms, while in Cuba 23 Americans and eight Canadians were diagnosed. The Cuban and American investigations escalated into a showdown between the two states, while a CNN spokeswoman in Beijing said the Chinese government was willing to cooperate.
During the incident in Cuba, 31 people were injured - - 23 Americans and eight Canadians.
What causes symptoms, according to people
According to a ProPublica report, US intelligence agencies have found evidence that Cuba "directly or indirectly" orchestrated the attacks. But besides this, there are other theories.
Sound devices
This was one of the initial statements by US officials regarding the Cuban incident. However, the victims were only American workers - it is unlikely that the installed equipment did not miraculously affect the local residents.
“From a technical point of view, this is an unstable argument,” Lt. Col. Jose Alazo of the Department of Homeland Security's Criminal Investigation Department told The Guardian.
Insecticide
Perhaps too much permethrin, Cuban's favorite mosquito repellent that can cause nausea, was spread in the air. At the same time, Science Magazine claims that, based on Cuban reports, the insecticide was not used in high enough doses to cause similar symptoms.
Anxiety
Stress can manifest itself in physical symptoms - and under the right conditions, they can spread to other people.
“These people are together all the time in rather hectic conditions - and this is exactly the situation in which something like this can happen. Anxiety can be one of the critical factors,”said Mark Hallett, head of the department of human motor control at the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, in an interview with The Guardian.
There are already too many versions of what happened to the diplomats. The Cuban incident was difficult to investigate, in part because the workers were transferred and the proceedings were suddenly cut short. Perhaps, in the investigation of the new, Chinese incident, it will be possible to advance further.
Vladimir Mirny
