UNM Health Suspends Care as Cyber Incident Disrupts Clinics

A cybersecurity incident forced the University of New Mexico Health System (UNM Health) to suspend care across its network on 26 October 2026, diverting ambulance traffic to other hospitals and cancelling appointments across more than 30 clinics. UNM Health operates New Mexico’s only Level 1 trauma centre, meaning the disruption placed additional pressure on nearby facilities.

The organisation said its IT security teams identified the threat around 11:00 and began containment, with an Emergency Operations Centre activated and outside support engaged. From 12:30 to 14:30, UNM Health temporarily stopped accepting new patients while protecting the network, and the day’s outpatient surgeries and appointments were also halted. By the next day, systems were reportedly returning to normal and services were restoring.

UNM Health stated that the incident affected some end‑user devices but did not reach core systems or servers. Officials warned patients to delay non‑emergency visits and to use 911 for emergencies. The hospital said it was conducting a criminal investigation; employees reported messages claiming data had been stolen, but UNM Health has not confirmed this. Phishing and fraud attempts linked to the incident were also cautioned.

The disruption saw Presbyterian Healthcare Services and Lovelace Health System coordinate with UNM to accommodate additional patients, illustrating regional collaboration in response to the security event. The article notes that UNM Health began restoring systems on the afternoon of the incident and that operations returned to normal by the following day.