Harris’s Flight to Vietnam Delayed by ‘Health Incident’ in Hanoi

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Vice President Kamala Harris’s flight to Singapore was delayed on Tuesday because of an unusual health incident, according to the State Department.

“Earlier this evening, the Vice President’s traveling delegation was delayed from departing Singapore because the Vice President’s office was made aware of a report of a recent possible anomalous health incident in Hanoi, Vietnam,” the agency said in a statement.

“After careful assessment, the decision was made to continue with the Vice President’s trip,” it added.

The nature of the incident was not disclosed, but similar phrasing has been used in the past to describe an affliction called Havana syndrome.

That affliction has affected dozens of U.S. officials, who have reported symptoms like severe headaches, dizziness, and vertigo. The symptoms have primarily been reported in Cuba.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris departs Singapore for Vietnam on Aug. 24, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

Symone Sanders, a spokeswoman for Harris, told reporters that the vice president “is well,” The Associated Press reported.

“She is well, all is fine, and she’s looking forward to the meetings in Hanoi tomorrow,” Sanders added.

Harris’s flight took off approximately three hours after it was scheduled to leave.

Harris delivered a speech earlier Tuesday to the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, telling the crowd that President Joe Biden “made the courageous and right decision” to withdraw from Afghanistan.

“Over these past weeks, the United States has been focused on safely evacuating American citizens, international partners, Afghans who worked side by side with us, and other Afghans at risk. We are laser-focused on the task at hand. And we are extremely grateful to our men and women in uniform and to embassy staff who are on the ground, as we speak, making this historic airlift happen in an incredibly difficult and dangerous environment,” she added.