This is why we can't tell you where the cases of Coronavirus COVID-19 are in Northern Ireland

England, Scotland and Wales provide location details for all confirmed cases of Coronavirus COVID-19 but Northern Ireland does not - here's why.

Many readers contacted us directly or left comments on social media this week asking us why we can't tell them where all of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 are in Northern Ireland.

We contacted the Public Health Agency on your behalf and put the query to them.

This is why we can't tell you where the confirmed cases area:

The details are available in England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland.placeholder image
The details are available in England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland. | jpimedia

"The Public Health Agency (PHA) does not comment on cases relating to positive diagnoses of COVID-19 (coronavirus) or the specific geographical locations of those tested positive due to patient confidentiality," said a PHA spokesperson.

"This is due to the fact that Northern Ireland has a much smaller population and geographical area than England, Scotland and Wales, meaning that providing more localised information on our lower numbers of positive cases could make those affected identifiable, therefore breaching patient confidentiality."

The PHA did however hint that their current policy on publishing the geographical details of cases of COVID-19 would "remain under review".

"This approach for PHA data reporting will remain under review in what is a fast-evolving situation."

There are currently 29 cases of Coronavirus COVID-19 in Northern Ireland.

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