Doable ‘Havana Syndrome’ Incident in Hanoi Delays Kamala Harris’s Arrival There

Vice President Kamala Harris was delayed Tuesday for greater than three hours as she was departing from Singapore for Vietnam due to a report of a latest potential “anomalous well being incident” in Hanoi, the place she’s going to focus on public well being methods and search to bolster partnerships within the South China Sea, an important piece of President Biden’s technique to counter the rising financial affect of China.

“Anomalous well being incident” is how the Biden administration usually refers to instances of the so-called “Havana Syndrome” assaults, the unexplained complications, dizziness and reminiscence loss reported by scores of State Division officers, C.I.A. officers and their households.

A spokeswoman for Ms. Harris, Symone Sanders, assured reporters touring with the vp on her second overseas journey since taking workplace that her well being was not affected.

“You noticed her get onto the airplane. She is properly, all is okay and looking out ahead to conferences in Hanoi tomorrow,” Ms. Sanders mentioned when pressed on the reason for the delay. She later added: “This has nothing to do with the vp’s well being.”

A State Division spokesman mentioned in an announcement that “after cautious evaluation, the choice was made to proceed with the vp’s journey.” The delegation arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Tuesday night time.

Earlier than departing for the airport, Ms. Harris participated in a closed-door meet-and-greet with U.S. embassy employees. Members of the press corps touring along with her have been already loaded right into a motorcade awaiting her departure once they have been abruptly despatched again to their resort rooms, earlier than being summoned again to proceed the journey.

Upon arriving in Hanoi aboard Air Drive Two, Ms. Harris didn’t reply to a shouted query from a reporter about why she determined to proceed on her journey within the wake of the report.