Scientists meet in Havana on diplomats' mystery illnesses

[Judi Lynn]

Andrea RodrÍguez, Associated Press
Updated 5:42 pm CST, Monday, March 2, 2020

HAVANA (AP) — Some scientists who gathered Monday for a two-day conference on the mysterious illnesses suffered by U.S. and Canadian diplomats in Havana said they suspected pesticides as a possible culprit, although results remained inconclusive.

The dozens of illnesses reported in recent years led the U.S. and Canada to sharply reduce the staffing at their embassies in Cuba. The phenomenon also led to increased tension between Cuba and the Trump administration, which accused Cuba of bearing at least some responsibility for the illnesses.

The conference entitled “Is There a Havana Syndrome?” brought together Cuban scientists with researchers from universities in Halifax, Canada, Edinburgh, Scotland, the universities of California at Los Angeles and San Diego.

Mitchell Valdés-Sosa, a Cuban neuroscientist, said the conference was meant to debate the best way of investigating the phenomenon that left dozens of diplomats reporting illnesses including headaches, dizziness and long-term neurological problems. But he said he was already sure that what happened was not the result of any deliberate action, as the U.S. has alleged.

More:
https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Scientists-meet-in-Havana-on-diplomats-mystery-15099977.php