AG says police will investigate video, audio and others for unauthorized release of COVID-19 result

A video that was shared on social media announcing that Solomon Islands now has two confirmed cases so as an audio which was widely shared stating the country now has three cases will be investigated by police.

The video and audio were broadly shared by social media users before the Prime Minister announced the country’s first ever COVID-19 case this afternoon. Both got the numbers wrong.

Attorney General John Muria told journalists this afternoon that all unauthorized releases will be investigated.

When asked if only the video and the audio will be investigated, Muria said: “Every unauthorized will be followed-up, investigated, complaints will be passed to RSIPF to carry out their work,” Muria said.

Meanwhile the Oversight Committee had also vowed to look into how the confidential information of the test result was released by health workers before those responsible were informed.

Secretary to the Prime Minister Jimmie Rodgers said there was a breach of protocol on how information had been leaked and they would be looking into.

He said the protocol on releasing the result should from the Lab to the officer responsible for International Health Regulation then to the Permanent Secretary of Health, and to the Core Group before going to the Minister and Prime Minister.

However he said in this case the information was leaked even before the PS was informed

“There suppose to be uniform in release of information. This is not to withhold information but there is a process to follow,” he said.

News@SBOMOnline2020