A ransomware attack on the AZ Monica hospital network in Antwerp has forced the transfer of critically ill patients and triggered widespread disruption across its two campuses, after administrators shut down all IT systems to contain the breach. The hospital confirmed experiencing “a serious disruption” early Tuesday, prompting a full server shutdown that halted scheduled surgeries, imaging, and several essential treatments.
The outage left emergency services operating at reduced capacity, with the Red Cross assisting in the transfer of seven critical‑care patients whose conditions could not be safely managed during the shutdown. Other patients remained in the facility under adjusted care protocols.
The attack also affected oncology services. With chemotherapy systems offline, nearby hospitals—including Amsterdam UMC—stepped in to provide urgent treatment for displaced cancer patients, according to regional reports.
AZ Monica, which provides acute and specialist care across Antwerp and Deurne, disconnected its systems at 6:32 a.m. after detecting the intrusion, cancelling all scheduled surgeries and limiting emergency intake as staff reverted to manual procedures.
The incident marks one of the most disruptive cyberattacks on a Belgian healthcare institution in recent years, underscoring the vulnerability of hospital networks to ransomware campaigns that can directly endanger patient safety. Authorities have not yet disclosed the attackers’ identity or whether a ransom demand was issued.
