US issues new China health alert over mystery illness

BEIJING: The US embassy in China issued a new health alert for its citizens on Friday after more US government employees were evacuated from the country over fears they may have been hit by a mysterious illness.

American officials sent a medical team to the southern city of Guangzhou last month after an employee attached to the consulate there was diagnosed with brain trauma after experiencing strange sounds.

The case revived fears that a US rival has developed some kind of acoustic or microwave device after similar symptoms were reported among American diplomats and their families in Cuba in 2016.

The US embassy’s latest health alert, the second in two weeks, said that following voluntary medical screenings, the State Department "has sent other individuals to the United States for further evaluation".

The message urges staff and family members to contact their health care provider if they experience "any unusual, unexplained physical symptoms or events, auditory or sensory phenomena, or other health concerns". "Symptoms to be attentive for include dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, fatigue, cognitive issues, visual problems, ear complaints and hearing loss, and difficulty sleeping," the alert says.