OneBlood ransomware attack could affect Florida hospital blood shortages

Blood-donation nonprofit OneBlood , which serves hundreds of hospitals in the southeastern U.S., has been hit with a ransomware cyberattack that is affecting Florida hospitals, according to a release .

Although OneBlood remains operational and continues to collect, test and distribute blood, the release said, the impact to the organization's software has significantly slowed their processes and shipments to hospitals.

“We have implemented manual processes and procedures to remain operational," said OneBlood spokesperson Susan Forbes "Manual processes take significantly longer to perform and impact inventory availability.

"In an effort to further manage the blood supply we have asked the more than 250 hospitals we serve to activate their critical blood shortage protocols and to remain in that status for the time being,” she said.

Blood donations needed in Florida

OneBlood urges anyone eligible to donate blood to do so and help manage the blood supply at local hospitals.

“The blood supply cannot be taken for granted. The situation we are dealing with is ongoing.  If you are eligible to donate, we urge you to please make an appointment to donate as soon as possible,” said Forbes.

Other blood centers across the country have rallied to send blood and platelets to OneBlood to help augment their supply, OneBlood said. The AABB Disaster Task Force , a group formed to protect blood collection efforts in the event of domestic disasters or acts of terrorism, is coordinating national resources to assist with additional blood products, according to the release.

"All blood types are needed, but there is an urgent need for O Positive, O Negative and Platelet donations," the release said.

You can find information on how and where to donate at oneblood.org/donate-now.html . Anyone generally healthy and 16 years of age or older can donate.

What is OneBlood?

OneBlood provides safe, available and affordable whole blood, platelets and other blood products to over 300 hospitals in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, according to its website, with over 260 of them in Florida.

OneBlood formed in 2012 when three independent Florida blood centers merged. Three years later it merged with the 73-year-old Blood Alliance and it has since grown to become the second-largest blood center in the country, distributing more than 1 million blood products annually.

There are 81 OneBlood donation centers in 30 Florida counties and one of OneBlood's more than 250 Big Red Buses can often be seen in accepting blood donations in grocery store and shopping center parking lots across the state. OneBlood often offers coupons, t-shirts and other merchandise to people who donate. You can find a list of promotions in your area here.

OneBlood also offers programs to allow people to donate blood for their own use before a scheduled surgery, dedicated donations to give blood to a specific person, and therapeutic plasma exchange for those who need harmful substances or components removed from their blood to treat many hematologic, neurologic, renal, rheumatic, and metabolic disorders, according to the website.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: OneBlood ransomware attack could affect Florida hospital blood shortages