U.S. VP Kamala Harris pushes ahead with Vietnam trip despite mystery 'health incident'

HANOI: Vice President Kamala Harris pushed ahead with a trip to Vietnam on Tuesday after delaying the visit over concerns due to an unexplained health incident potentially related to the mysterious Havana Syndrome.

Harris, eager to woo allies in a bid to counter China, arrived in the Southeast Asian country's capital after a three-hour delay in Singapore and an unusual statement from the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam blaming "a recent possible anomalous health incident" for the delay.

"Anomalous health incident" is a term the U.S. government often uses to describe Havana Syndrome, a condition with symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, migraines and memory lapses, so named because it first was reported by American officials based in the U.S. embassy in Cuba in 2016.

"The Vice President's office was made aware of a report of a recent possible anomalous health incident in Hanoi, Vietnam," the U.S. Embassy statement said.

"After careful assessment, the decision was made to continue with the Vice President's trip," the statement said, without elaborating.

A spokesperson for Harris declined to comment on the reason for the delay.