AUGUSTA — Maine’s health commissioner says personal and confidential information for 79 people residing in 31 households that recently applied for public assistance was inadvertently sent to the wrong addresses.

Mary Mayhew said Thursday in some cases, the information included Social Security numbers and in rare instances, bank account information. She said the error, which happened within an automated mailing system, has since been resolved. It affected public assistance applicants or those who updated their information online.

Mayhew put out a statement with a formal apology and said Health Department staff called those whose information was shared, as well as those who may have received the information.

She said the department has offered identity theft insurance, free credit reports and daily monitoring of credit at no cost to those who were affected.