U.S. Official in China With Brain Injury Heard ‘Abnormal’ Sounds, Odd Pressure

Havana all over again? A U.S. government employee in China is said to have a mild traumatic brain injury after experiencing “subtle and vague, but abnormal, sensations of sound and pressure,” causing the State Department to urge U.S. citizens in China to report any “symptoms or medical problems” they notice while in the country. The employee works at the U.S. consulate in the southeastern city of Guangzhou, CBS News reports. “The U.S. government is taking these reports seriously and has informed its official staff in China of this event,” according to a State Department statement. “We do not currently know what caused the reported symptoms and we are not aware of any similar situations in China, either inside or outside of the diplomatic community.” The symptoms are reminiscent of the mysterious “health attacks” on U.S. and Canadian diplomatic staff in Cuba, which have stumped doctors and left the staffers with hearing loss and brain damage.