Confidential information including name, address and contact details of 7 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment at Dharapuram Government Hospital in Tirupur was allegedly circulated in social messaging apps on Sunday, as soon as the Health Secretary Beela Rajesh announced 35 fresh cases in the district.   

 The leaked data of the patients who had taken part in the Tablighi Jamaat event also bears the unattested designation of Municipal Health Officer, Dharapuram Municipality.  

“Once Health Secretary released the numbers of new cases in the Tirupur district, everyone in Dharapuram started spreading the leaked data in WhatsApp groups,” said Suresh Kumar, a resident of Dharapuram.  “The information of the patients was earlier known only by the neighbours of the patients. However, this leak had helped everyone in Dharapuram know about the COVID-19 patients. We are disappointed by this because the government should have kept the data safe,” said Suresh.

The husband of a COVID-19 patient quarantined at Dharapuram Government Hospital told TNM that he too was in quarantine. When asked if he was receiving calls from unknown numbers, he said, “I am have not received any unwanted calls.”

However, Dharapuram DSP Jayaram denied the allegation and said, “The information on leak of COVID-19 patients’ data was not true. The information will not be shared without our knowledge.”

A similar instance had already been reported by The Hindu in the Nilgiris. According to the report, data of 10 COVID-19 patients who allegedly attended the Delhi event was circulated in mobile messaging applications in the Nilgiris.