TWO more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Northern Ireland this afternoon, bringing the total number of cases in country up to three and the total for the island of Ireland to five.
It's understood that the two new cases aren't connected, with one patient believed to have caught it during a recent trip to northern Italy while the other through visiting a friend in the UK who had tested positive for the virus.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: "Testing of patients in Northern Ireland has resulted in two further presumptive positive results for coronavirus (Covid-19), bringing the total to three since testing began.
"In line with established protocols, these Northern Ireland test outcomes have been sent to Public Health England laboratories for verification.
"The two cases are not connected. One individual recently travelled from Northern Italy. The other had recent contact with a person elsewhere in the UK who has subsequently tested positive for Covid-19."
This follows from news this morning that a second person in the Republic of Ireland was confirmed with the disease.
Both the UK and Irish governments have stressed that more cases of coronavirus were expected, and that adequate preparation has done to deal with any potential outbreak.
All three patients confirmed with the virus today (two in NI and one in Ireland) are understood to have been moved into isolation and are currently receiving appropriate care.
