Report links 2020 Florida car chase to mysterious Havana Syndrome

A high-speed chase in Florida may be linked to the mysterious phenomenon known as “Havana Syndrome”, according to a new report. Body cam footage of officers chasing a car down a highway in Key West in June 2020 is shown in a story from CBS News’ ’60 Minutes,’ set to air later Sunday. The chase goes on for 15 miles, with the driver topping speeds of 110 mph. Eventually, he’s pulled over and apprehended. Inside the man’s car, officers found bank account notes, and a device resembling a walkie-talkie that can erase a car’s computer data, including its GPS history. Officers also found a passport. The suspect gives his name as Vitalii and says he is from St. Petersburg. When asked why he fled police officers, he repeatedly says, “I don’t know.” The report comes weeks after the release of a nearly five-year study from the National Institutes of Health, which found no explanation for the mysterious health problems – including headaches, balance problems and difficulties with thinking and sleep – that have been reported by U.S. diplomats and other government employees. The NIH conducted an array of advanced tests but found no brain injuries or degeneration. While that couldn’t rule out some transient injury when symptoms began, researchers said that was good news that they couldn’t spot long-term markers on brain scans that are typical after trauma or stroke.Sunday’s report is the latest episode in an ongoing saga to unravel a mystery that began when personnel at the U.S. embassy in Cuba began seeking medical care for hearing loss and ear-ringing after reporting sudden weird noises.The NIH study, which began in 2018 and included more than 80 Havana syndrome patients, wasn’t designed to examine the likelihood of some weapon or other trigger for Havana syndrome symptoms. Chan said the findings don’t contradict the intelligence agencies’ conclusions.