Brno's University Hospital, a testing center for coronavirus, facing cyber attack

Brno, March 13 (CTK) – The Brno University Hospital, one of those testing people for coronavirus, is facing a cyber attack that has paralysed its computers, PM Andrej Babis told CTK today, confirming the information from three independent sources.

The National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NUKIB) is dealing with the situation, Babis said after talking to NUKIB’s head Jaroslav Smid.

The hospital has carried out up to 20 coronavirus tests a day since the new coronavirus outbreak.

Its spokesman Pavel Zara told CTK that the situation is being tackled and that no detailed information is available.

According to CTK’s information, computers with patients data have been paralysed.

Michaela Bothova, the spokeswoman for the medical rescue service in south Moravia, where Brno is situated, told CTK that the rescuers know about the cyber attacks and have started taking patients to other hospitals.

The hospital staff are banned from switching on computers, which is why the outpatient wards probably remain closed.

The problem seems to have emerged in the night.

Three coronavirus cases appeared in the South Moravian Region by Thursday. Two patients are staying in home quarantine and one, an 84-year-old woman, is at the Brno University Hospital’s infection ward.

Earlier this morning, Health Minister Adam Vojtech reported another patient with coronavirus in South Moravia.

The first case of coronavirus appeared in the Czech Republic on March 1. Their number rose to 117 by the morning today.