NZ Privacy Commissioner launches COVID-19 patient privacy breach inquiry

New Zealand’s (NZ) Privacy Commissioner John Edwards has stated his office is undertaking an inquiry into the distribution of COVID-19 patient details by the Ministry of Health. Following a recent public report into COVID-19 patient privacy breach, Edwards said the State Services Commissioner referred the report to his office for consideration of what further action, if any, under the Privacy Act was appropriate. Edwards stated: ‘I hope the outcome of my inquiry will have implications for the future distribution of COVID-19 patient information, given that the course of the global pandemic has a long way to go yet, and that we will continue to see cases in New Zealand’.