US cuts diplomatic staff in Cuba over 'mysterious health attacks', advises Americans to stay away

The United States has ordered more than half of its diplomatic staff in Cuba to come back, following several cases of mysterious health ailments which are afflicting the American diplomats in Havana.

The authorities have also issued a travel advisory for American citizens, stating that they should stay away from the Latin American country.

The Donald Trump administration had suggested earlier this month that it could close the recently opened United States embassy in Havana, Cuba after nearly 21 Americans linked with the embassy experienced varied unexplained health problems.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, during an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation" said that the closing of the US embassy in Cuba was "under evaluation," according to reports.

"It's a very serious issue with respect to the harm that certain individuals have suffered," Tillerson said. "We've brought some of those people home. It's under review."

The Trump administration has already moved to reverse important pieces of the deal the Obama administration struck last year with Cuba. Trump, during his presidential campaign last year, had called the pact a "terrible and misguided deal."

Closing the US embassy in Cuba would be the most dramatic action taken by the Trump administration so far to reverse former US President Barack Obama's decision.

The latest action by the Trump administration will hamper the delicate time between the longtime adversaries. Reports state that the US Embassy in Cuba will lose nearly 60 percent of its American staff and will stop processing visas for prospective Cuban travellers to the United States indefinitely.

US President Trump, commenting on the decision, said "they did some very bad things" that harmed US diplomats in Cuba." However, he did not specify who he was referring to when he said "they."

The American Foreign Service Association said that the symptoms faced by the American embassy employees in Cuba included mild traumatic brain injury, permanent hearing loss, loss of balance, severe headaches and brain swelling.

The unexplained health afflictions of its employees have become a cause of concern for the American government.

Reports state that the initial reaction of the Cuban president, Raúl Castro, to the failing health of the US diplomats has caught American officials off guard. According to the Associated Press reports, Castro seemed concerned about the news, which was reportedly in contrast to the usual accusatory tone taken by the Cuban head.