Cyberattack on health care throws wrench into plans for those travelling for appointments

An apparent cyberattack on parts of Newfoundland and Labrador's health-care system is leaving doctors and patients scrambling after thousands of medical appointments were cancelled on Monday as a result.

Greg Nunatold CBC News he received a callFriday night that there was a surgery available for him on Monday morning at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's. Heand his daughter flew out ofHappy Valley-Goose Bay Sunday evening, but whenthey arrived at the hospital around 7:30 a.m. Monday morning, he said, hewas told all appointments were cancelled.

"I think the systems were down by Sunday, but there were nonotificationto patients like us. It's hurtful, but it's beyond their control," Nuna said.

"There should be some sort of system to determine whether their day surgeries are going ahead. I've come a long way and I'm really disappointed."

Nuna said he's been wearing a catheter and a bag for three months, addingit's uncomfortable for him in his daily life and that he's unable to go hunting out on the landto provide for his family. He said the plan wasto have it removed Monday and he was excited to get back to his life.

"I fell to my knees and nearly cried," he said. "I'm disappointed, hoping I'd be able to get back to being a normal person to do stuff with my kids and my family, to go out [and] enjoy life."

Nuna said he is supposed to return home to Sheshatshiu on Tuesday but is hoping the situation will turn for the better before then.

Jessica Connors also travelled from Labrador for an appointment in St. John's on Monday morning.

She said it's a frustrating situation, as it's a difficult task to travel to St. John's from Labrador and tough mentally to prepare herself for what was supposed to be an MRI.

Last summer Connors had emergency surgery to remove a Grade 2 tumour from her head. She said the tumour hasa chance of growing back, so for the next three to five years she has to get an MRI scan every six months to ensure there's no regrowth.

"Preparing myself for this appointment and result. I had myself so worked up to get this done and over with," she said.

Connors did receive an update later on Monday. She said she was contacted by the radiology department andhas been addedto a list of people whowill be accommodated Tuesday. Connors leaves St. John's on Wednesday.

Widespread issue

In Carbonear, about an hour's drive from St. John's, Darlene Ryan Deirblesaid her husband, Jean-Claudehad an appointment scheduledMonday for knee surgery that was cancelled.

"There's absolutely no one to ask. All I know is that they're rebooking the appointments, but you have to arrange an OR date," she said.

"It's hard, it's really hard to figure it out. Hopefully they'll get up and running today, not in a couple of weeks' time."

The apparent cyberattack was noticedSaturday morning, Health Minister John Haggie told reporters on Monday. Haggie said the attack hit "the brain of the data centre."

Sourcestold CBCNews on Monday the attack was ransomware, but Haggiecouldn't confirm, saying it'sstill under investigation.

Eastern Health has returnedto using paper records as acontingency plan.David Diamond, Eastern Health's CEO, told reporters he anticipates the health authority will also delaynon-emergency procedures on Tuesday, and delays could extend intoWednesday.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador