HEALTH minister Robin Swann will make an official statement to the assembly on Monday following Northern Ireland's first confirmed case of coronavirus.
The woman, who is a healthcare worker living in Belfast, had travelled with a child on an Aer Lingus flight from northern Italy to Dublin before making her way north.
Mr Swann briefed several media outlets yesterday with updates, including the BBC, although The Irish News was not invited to the briefing.
He said 93 people had been tested for the virus but only one person had tested positive.
It is understood the woman, who was diagnosed on Thursday, took the Enterprise train from Dublin's Connolly Station to Belfast Lanyon Place.
She was tested at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast but is being treated in isolation at home.
Health authorities north and south of the border last night confirmed anyone in close contact with the patient has been contacted.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) said people who had travelled on public transport between Dublin and Belfast should not be concerned about the risk of Covid-19.
The agency said it had completed the contact tracing process associated with the woman and those requiring appropriate advice have been provided with it.
Staff from the Republic's Health Service Executive (HSE) yesterday handed out information leaflets about the coronavirus to travellers flying into Dublin Airport.
In a statement Aer Lingus said it was "co-operating fully with the HSE in relation to the Covid-19 developments and is liaising with the Department of Foreign Affairs, other government departments and the relevant authorities as required.
"Aer Lingus will continue to assess the situation based on the guidance received."
Cabin crew who worked on the flight are in self-isolation for 14 days.
The Enterprise was sanitised overnight on Thursday as a “precautionary measure”.
Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny said: "We’ve had no confirmation at this time that the person travelled by Enterprise, but both Iarnród Éireann and Translink undertook a sanitising clean of the Enterprise fleet as a precautionary measure".
Translink reiterated that the PHA had "emphasised that members of the public who have travelled between Dublin and Belfast using public transport need not be concerned".
Aircoach, which operates a direct service between Dublin airport and Belfast, yesterday said the company had not been contacted by the Republic's Health Service Executive and it understood the woman had not travelled on one of its services.
The HSE has warned citizens that anyone who travelled from four regions in northern Italy (Lombardy, Veneto Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont) in the last 14 days and is experiencing symptoms should self-isolate and call their GP.
Dr Jillian Johnston, consultant in health protection at the PHA, said: "All stages of the individual's journey were identified and those who came into closest contact have been traced and contacted with public health advice and guidance.
"I would emphasise that members of the public who have travelled between Dublin and Belfast using public transport need not be concerned.
"Contact tracing is an effective and efficient method carried out by the PHA to help prevent the further spread of infections such as Covid-19.
"In addition, the agency will be moving to providing twice-weekly updates on the number of tests completed on individuals who meet the case definition.
"As of today, 93 tests have been completed, with 92 confirmed as negative and one as presumed positive."
The PHA said if a patient tested positive they would conduct an interview with them to trace their steps. Dr Johnston also said it would be providing twice-weekly updates.
Mr Swann said he was reassured that the health service's planning over the last few weeks, including dealing with counterparts in the Republic, had been effective.
"In response, our health service and our health systems can actually step up," he said.
"I am reassured that the professionals we have in the health system are well-placed to cope with the eventuality that may come."
He said he had always maintained that it was only a matter of time before a positive case was confirmed in Northern Ireland.
"Unfortunately that proved to be right last night but in how our system reacted I was pretty assured that we have the best people to deal with this," he said.
Dr Sarah Doyle, a consultant in public medicine at the HSE, confirmed that everyone who had sat within two rows of the woman, including on her journey from Dublin to Belfast, had been contacted.
Meanwhile, the PSNI said it was working to address any challenges presented by the virus and said as an employer and public service was following all advice issued by the Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and PHA.
"We will continue to work with our partners to ensure we have in place proportionate, appropriate and efficient procedures to address and respond to any challenges presented to the police service by Covid-19."
