White House begins probe on cases similar to Havana syndrome symptoms

The White House began the probe of "unexplained health incidents" after a report said that two US officials suddenly experienced symptoms similar to "Havana syndrome". 

One of the cases happened in November near the Ellipse, a huge oval lawn on the south side of the White House, in which a national security council official suddenly became ill. 

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The other incident occurred in 2019 when a White House official was walking her dog in an Arlington suburb of Washington. 

It happened when the official went past a van and a man walked past her, as reported by GQ magazine.  
 
"Her dog started seizing up. Then she felt it too: a high-pitched ringing in her ears, an intense headache, and a tingling on the side of her face," the report said. 

A White House spokesperson said that the Biden administration gives "paramount priority" to the health of its public servants.  

"The White House is working closely with departments and agencies to address unexplained health incidents and ensure the safety and security of Americans serving around the world. Given that we are still evaluating reported incidents and that we need to protect the privacy of individuals reporting incidents, we cannot provide or confirm specific details at this time," the spokesperson said.