(CNN) Fourteen Canadian diplomats are suing their government over a mysterious and lingering illness that they and US diplomats seem to have developed while posted in Cuba's capital.

The individuals, whose names have been redacted from a court filing and do not wish to be identified, are collectively suing for $28 million in Canadian dollars, or $21 million.

The central claim of the suit reads: "Throughout the crisis, Canada downplayed the seriousness of the situation, hoarded and concealed critical health and safety information, and gave false, misleading and incomplete information to diplomatic staff."

The lawsuit comes a week after Canada confirmed a 14th case of unusual health symptoms experienced by diplomatic staff in Havana and announced that diplomatic staff in Cuba would be halved from 16 to eight, according to a Canadian government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

"The health, safety and security of our diplomatic staff and their families remain our priority," said a statement last week.

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