Ascension Health, the largest Catholic hospital chain in the United States, has been severely impacted by a cyberattack attributed to the Russia-linked ransomware group Black Basta. The St. Louis-based attack has disrupted operations across its network, which spans 19 states and includes 140 hospitals. As a result, the health system has had to divert ambulances, postpone non-emergency elective surgeries, tests, and take patient records offline. The ransomware attack has forced Ascension to operate using manual and paper-based systems while they work to restore their IT infrastructure. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI are involved in the investigation. This incident is part of a broader trend of increasing ransomware attacks on healthcare systems, with Black Basta having targeted over 500 organizations worldwide as of May 2024. Ascension sites in Illinois remain operational despite the ongoing cyberattack.