TEST results are expected today on a man being treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital suspected of experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, which has led to the deaths of almost 30 people in China.
However, it is understood doctors expect a negative result for the virus.
It is believed the patient was last night still receiving treatment in Belfast amid initial concerns he may have contracted the condition.
It has been reported he recently travelled to Northern Ireland from Wuhan, where the outbreak of coronavirus began.
It is believed he was admitted with a high temperature and medics took the immediate step of treating him in an isolation ward as a precautionary measure.
The official death toll in China had last night risen to 26 with more than 830 confirmed cases. Symptoms of coronavirus include fever, sneezing and coughing.
The Chinese city of Wuhan is rapidly building a new 1,000-bed hospital to treat victims, while Disneyland Shanghai and parts of the Great Wall of China have been closed to visitors.
Reuters reported that hospitals in Wuhan are struggling to cope due to medical shortages. Almost 30 million people and 10 cities in China are now facing travel restrictions.
Meanwhile, the UK government's Cobra committee met yesterday to discuss the threat to the UK from coronavirus, chaired by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
As he left the Cabinet Office after the meeting, Mr Hancock said the risk to the UK public "remains low".
All 14 people tested for coronavirus in the UK were last night given the all-clear but checks are ongoing on other people, the Chief Medical Officer for England has said.
All the people tested in the UK had visited Wuhan.
Four out five patients tested in Scotland were Chinese nationals. The Scottish government last night confirmed two patients that were tested for coronavirus have come back negative.
One of those cleared in the UK was Michael Hope (45) who spent two days in quarantine this week after returning to Newcastle from Wuhan.
In a statement last night, chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty said he was "working closely with the other UK chief medical officers".
"We all agree that the risk to the UK public remains low, but there may well be cases in the UK at some stage," he said.
"We have tried and tested measures in place to respond. The UK is well-prepared for these types of incidents, with excellent readiness against infectious diseases.
"We have global experts monitoring the situation around the clock and have a strong track record of managing new forms of infectious disease."
Other cases have been reported in countries including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the US and Vietnam.
