UK Hospitals Cancel Operations Because of Computer Virus

A computer virus caused three English hospitals to cancel operations and outpatient services for days.

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, which runs three hospitals, said experts advised it to shut down its systems so the virus could be isolated and destroyed, the BBC reported. A hospital executive said all adult patients’ appointments were canceled unless a patient exhibited a pressing clinical need, and major trauma and high-risk women in labor were sent to other facilities. Other services, such as chemotherapy, continued. 

The trust discovered the virus Oct. 30 and brought most systems back online late Wednesday, but has disclosed few details about it.