On Monday, October 26, the University of New Mexico Health System announced that a cybersecurity incident required the immediate diversion of all ambulance traffic and the cancellation of appointments at its more than 30 outpatient clinics across the state. The directive, reported by KOAT, instructed patients not to arrive at UNM Health facilities and to call 911 for emergencies, while non‑emergency visits were to be delayed.
KOAT noted that ambulances were redirected to other regional hospitals, including Presbyterian Healthcare Services and Lovelace Medical Center. The hospital’s website posted a notice confirming the diversions and the suspension of outpatient surgeries. By 2:30 p.m. that day, UNM Health began restoring systems and resuming limited operations.
According to the AP story reproduced by HuffPost, UNM Health’s main Albuquerque campus blocked its waiting room with chairs and staff in turquoise shirts informed patients that their appointments might be canceled. The Health Sciences Center, the state’s largest academic medical center, cancelled all classes for health‑science students and dismissed non‑essential personnel and students from the School of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, College of Nursing, and College of Population Health for the remainder of the day.
HuffPost added that UNM Health conducts roughly 900,000 outpatient visits and receives about 100,000 emergency‑room visits each year, and it operates New Mexico’s only Level 1 trauma center. The temporary loss of the emergency department left the state without a facility capable of treating the most serious injuries during the outage.
KOAT quoted cybersecurity experts on possible causes. Efrain Lopez, a computer‑science professor at New Mexico State University, suggested the incident could involve ransomware, noting that “in 2026, there were already around 200 or 300 cyber attacks targeting hospitals.” He explained that a phishing email opened by an employee could grant hackers access to the network. Safety expert Paul Szych emphasized that phishing training is a primary mitigation strategy, warning that attackers often seek financial gain through credit‑card fraud or fraudulent loans.
Boston Herald’s coverage mirrored the AP details, also stating the date as October 26, 2026, and confirming the cancellation of classes and the hospital’s effort to resolve the issue. The outlet highlighted the broader concern about digital security for essential services such as banking and medical care.
What’s next: UNM Health officials said they are working to fully restore all digital systems and will provide updates on the resumption of regular appointments and emergency services. Patients are advised to monitor the UNM Health website or contact their providers for the latest information.
Sources: koat.com, koat.com, huffpost.com, bostonherald.com
