The first case of coronavirus in Northern Ireland has been confirmed.
The presumptive positive case of COVID-19 was announced on Thursday at a press conference and the sample was sent to a laboratory in England for confirmation.
It is understood the woman affected arrived in Dublin earlier this week after a skiing trip to northern Italy with a child.
She was reported to have taken a bus to Dublin’s Connolly Street station before catching the train to Northern Ireland. She was being monitored at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast but is understood to have returned home.
The news comes following the creation of a ‘drive-thru’ coronavirus testing service at Antrim Area Hospital. This service is only available via a GP referral.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause mild symptoms ranging from a fever and cough to more serious conditions such as pneumonia, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
In December 2019, a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan City, China. This virus has now spread to other countries.
The UK Chief Medical Officers have declared the risk to the public to be moderate. However, the risk to individuals remains low.
Meanwhile, three more patients in England have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of UK cases to 23, says the Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty.