UMMC Shuts Clinics While it Grapples with Ransomware Attack
University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) has temporarily closed most of its clinics following a ransomware attack, and scheduled appointments and surgeries have been cancelled and will be rebooked once the attack has been remediated. Mississippi MED-COM, the network that coordinates hospital transfers across the state, has also been affected by the ransomware attack, but had redundancies in place, and patients continue to be routed to hospitals in the state without disruption.
The attack was detected in the early hours of Thursday, February 19, 2026, and has impacted the UMMC network and many of its IT systems, including its EPIC electronic medical record system. According to LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, all clinics will remain closed on Friday, February 20, 2026, as a result of the attack, with the exception of its kidney dialysis clinic at Jackson Medical Mall, which remains open with appointments proceeding as scheduled. Without access to key systems, including its electronic medical record system, information is being recorded with pen and paper for patients in its care. In-person classes for students are continuing as scheduled.
Woodward confirmed that care continues to be provided to hospital patients, and all clinical equipment and operations remain functional. While there have been temporary clinic closures, the emergency department remains open and is accepting patients. Law enforcement has been alerted, and UMMC is coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is providing assistance.
Since the attack was only detected yesterday, it is too early to tell to what extent, if any, patient data has been compromised, or how long the recovery will take. “ At this point in the incident it’s too early for us to communicate what we do and don’t know, but we are in the process of surging resources, both locally and nationally, into this incident to make sure that we are standing alongside with UMMC and their vendors,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff, who was present at the UMMC presser announcing the attack. UMMC has confirmed it has made contact with the group behind the attack, but the name of the group has not been disclosed, and UMMC has not stated whether it is considering paying the ransom.
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