A recent cyberattack wreaked havoc on a major American hospital network, leading to serious and even fatal medical errors. 

Among the alarming incidents reported, patients were mistakenly given narcotics, resulting in life-threatening complications.

One such case involved a female patient who suffered a cardiac arrest and died due to delayed test results caused by data mishaps, the Daily Mail reported. Another near miss occurred when a nurse in Kansas nearly administered a lethal dose of narcotics to an infant, all because of erroneous paperwork.

The healthcare provider at the center of this crisis is Ascension, a Catholic healthcare system operating more than 140 facilities nationwide. Employees have come forward, saying the repercussions of last month’s cyberattack are still being felt, despite the company’s claims that their network was “restored” on June 14.

The attack led to doctors and nurses being locked out of vital digital systems, leaving them unable to access crucial patient information. The fallout forced staff to resort to primitive methods such as using handwritten sticky notes to track critically ill patients.

Justin Neisser, a travel nurse working at an Ascension hospital, warned patients about potential delays and risks. “There is potential for error and for harm,” he told CBS4 in May.

An emergency room doctor in Michigan, who chose to remain anonymous, recounted a harrowing incident in which a patient was mistakenly given a dangerous narcotic intended for another person. This mix-up led to the patient’s breathing dangerously slowing down, necessitating an ICU admission and ventilation.

Another healthcare provider in Michigan shared a tragic story of a woman with low blood sugar who went into cardiac arrest and died after hospital staff waited four hours for essential lab results.

• Staff can be reached at 202-636-3000.