Computer virus shuts down Ambulance dispatch service

The Ambulance Service of NSW says no lives have been at risk despite the computer system it uses to send paramedics to emergencies being infected by a virus for more than 24 hours and no timescale for when it will be back online.

The ambulance service's computer dispatch system became infected by a virus at about 1pm (AEDT) on Saturday, forcing staff to shut it down and revert to co-ordinating the state's paramedics and ambulances via a manual paper-based system.

Despite this, general manager of operations Mike Willis said he was unaware of any delays to triple-zero calls or any "adverse patient outcomes".

The cause and source of the virus were unknown and the system was still offline at 1pm (AEDT) on Sunday and it was not known when it would be back up and running, Willis said.

"It's important to note that at no time during that shutdown procedure were any triple-zero calls or in fact the integrity of our operation breached," he told reporters in Sydney.

"We're still taking calls and dispatching ambulances, albeit using manual operations."

The system used by the service has been in place for 10 years and had never previously been breached by a virus, Willis said.

An investigation into the cause has been launched.

The computer system would not operate again until technicians are sure the virus has been fully removed, Willis said.

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