The United States has made its first compensation payments to government personnel affected by Havana Syndrome, disbursing nearly $3 million under a law designed to support victims of the mysterious illness. The US Department of Defense announced the payouts on Friday, marking the first time funds have been distributed under the Havana Act, which was signed into law in 2021 to provide financial relief to affected staff.
Havana Syndrome first came to public attention in 2016 when US diplomats at the embassy in Cuba reported falling ill with unexplained neurological symptoms. The condition has since been reported by American personnel in various countries.
The cause of the syndrome remains disputed. US intelligence agencies concluded it was very unlikely that a foreign adversary was responsible for the incidents, and studies by the National Institutes of Health found no evidence of brain injury linked to the condition.