Hackers have breached the systems of a Wyoming medical center, forcing a hospital to cancel some surgeries, stop accepting patients and transfer some patients to other facilities, a spokesman said Saturday.
Campbell County Health officials were working with federal, state and local authorities to regain access to their systems after the ransomware attack that took place on Friday.
Campbell County Health operates Campbell County Memorial Hospital, a 90-bed hospital in Gillette, along with clinics, a long-term care center and a surgical center.
The emergency room at Gillette in the United States is still operating, but the ransomware attack has made some services unavailable, forcing the hospital to send some patients elsewhere, spokeswoman Karen Clarke said.
He declined to comment on the medical services affected by the attack. Select surgeries were canceled on Monday, while other surgeries are being handled on a case-by-case basis.
In a ransomware attack, hackers typically take over a computer system and demand money in order to regain access to their systems. These attacks first appeared in the 1980s, but they are becoming more common these days, especially because encryption makes it very easy for hackers to get money securely.
It wasn't very clear what exactly the hackers were looking for from Campbell County Health.
On Friday, the attack closed outpatient clinics and canceled some surgeries. On Saturday, Campbell County Health officials released an update saying emergency services and the clinic were operational and that patients at the hospital and other facilities were safe.
“We are working with regional facilities to transfer patients who need a higher level of care,” the statement. No new patients have been admitted since Saturday, Clarke said.
Officials said there is no evidence that any data . Campbell County is home to about 46,000 people.
