Computers used by the Honolulu Fire Department for administrative business may have been infected by a virus and have been shut down, but fire officials maintain that the action does not affect its emergency response capabilities.

Capt. David Jenkins, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman, said all of the computers on its fire truck and other vehicles are operational.

None of the department’s emergency dispatch or response capabilities are affected, Jenkins said.

Jenkins said about a half dozen individual computers at different fire stations were discovered Monday to be infected by malicious software.

Fire officials decided to shut down all computers used for administrative purposes, such as e-mail and reports at the department’s 43 stations on Oahu.

“We are now evaluating and assessing the problem,” Jenkins said.

“It’s not clear how severe the problem is,” Jenkins added. “As a precautionary measure we decided to shut down all administrative machines.”