The Newfoundland and Labrador government said Monday it's trying to contact dozens of people whose confidential medical information, including test results for HIV and hepatitis, was accidentally put on the internet.

The information was published Nov. 20 when a consultant working for the Health Department took home a government computer and installed file-sharing software on it.

The software exposed the contents of the computer hard drive to the internet, including private medical details.

The information was accessed online by a New York-based private security firm, who called the consultant and warned of the breach.

Provincial Justice Minister Jerome Kennedy said government officials are going over the files to determine what information was published.

While many files contain only partial information such as initials and birth dates, Kennedy said there was enough information in about 50 files to create a serious problem.

"There are 47 patients identified right now who we have determined should be notified. There are two employees. There are a total of 49 people who should be notified," he said.

Health Minister Ross Wiseman said the incident will force a review of the department's computer policy.

"It's a significant lesson learned," he said.

The government has hired a computer consultant to determine the scope of the security breach. Officials don't know if more than 49 people were affected or who else might have accessed the information while it was online.