Virus hits province’s hospital computers systems

Urgent work is underway to remove a computer virus from a number of computer systems at a number of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (HSSPS) sites and hospitals.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety said the Nimda-D virus had attacked computer systems and networks in a number of HSSPS organisations.

The organisations which are still understood to be partially infected include the Western Health and Social Services Board; Altnagelvin, Craigavon Area Hospital, Foyle, Mater, Royal Group, South and East Belfast, Sperrin and Lakeland HSS Trusts.

While administrative and clinical ICT systems are not directly impacted by this virus attack, access to those systems has been disrupted in the affected organisations.

The spokesperson said that the virus attack originated as a result of transfer of a contaminated file from the Internet. The organisations affected were quickly isolated from the HSSPS network and steps have been taken to remove the virus and its effects with support from the Department’s Data Communications and ICT Security teams. As the remedial work is completed they are then being re-admitted on to the main network.

Contingency arrangements within Trusts have been put in place to ensure that disruption to care is minimised.

There are over 15,000 PCs in the individual organisations, which operate from around 30 to over 1,900 computers.

While all HSSPS organisations are required by the Department to implement a range of ICT Security measures, including virus scanning, in the wake of the attack a review of ICT security policy will be carried out in order to assess the vulnerability of the computer systems. (SP)