One of the largest nonprofit blood centers in the country, New York Blood Center (NYBC), said in a statement on its website that it was hit with a ransomware attack over the weekend and is now experiencing disruptions in its services, including longer-than-normal processing times for blood donations, plus the cancelling and rescheduling of some blood donations.NYBC provides blood to over 200 hospitals in the northeast, including New York and New Jersey, and transfusion-related medical services to more than 500 hospitals across the nation.At this time, we do not have a specific timetable for system restoration, NYBC said in the statement. We are working diligently with third-party experts to restore our systems as quickly and safely as possible.What happened?On Sunday, January 26, NYBC Enterprises identified suspicious activity affecting its IT systems. It contacted cybersecurity experts who investigated and confirmed it was the result of a ransomware incident.We took immediate steps to help contain the threat, including taking certain systems offline, NYBC confirmed in its statement. The attack comes at a critical time, when blood donations in the U.S. are at a significantly low level. Currently, the New York and New Jersey region face a blood emergency resulting from a 30% drop in donations in recent weeks since the holidays, totaling 6,500 fewer donations and crippling the regions blood supply, according to the NYBC.What can I do to help?Donations typically decrease during the holidays, and this January poses additional challenges with colder than normal temperatures causing blood drive cancellations, and flu, COVID-19, and RSV symptoms reducing donor eligibility.Currently, donations of all blood types are urgently needed, especially Types O and B, which are down to a dangerously low 1- to 3-day supply.In the coming weeks, NYBC may have to do another push for more blood donations. If youre eligible, you can donate, but be prepared for the possibility of longer wait times or unexpected scheduling changes.Heres more information about how to donate.