ALMOST half of people tested for the coronavirus in Northern Ireland have used a 'drive-through' facility at Antrim Area Hospital.
A total of 40 people have been tested at the facility, which has been operating for the past three weeks.
Patients cannot just attend on spec and must be referred to the service, which is operating in the ambulance bay of the hospital, by a GP.
Health minister Robin Swann said on Friday that 93 patients had been tested for the virus so far, with just one person testing positive.
He is due to make an official statement about the virus, also referred to as Covid 19, to the assembly this afternoon.
Plans are also in place for new testing 'pods' at hospitals in Belfast, Dundonald and Antrim.
Temporary coronavirus detection huts have already been delivered to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald. The huts will be used to diagnose patients to prevent them spreading the virus in accident and emergency departments.
A similar facility will be delivered to Antrim Area Hospital tomorrow.
Two coronavirus cases have so far been confirmed in Ireland. The first was a Belfast woman. The second was a man who is being treated in hospital in Dublin.
Both had travelled back from Ireland from northern Italy, where hundreds of cases have been confirmed.
Two schools have cancelled ski trips to Italy amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
Sacred Heart Grammar in Newry and Dunclug College in Ballymena were both due to leave for Folgaria on Saturday.
In a message sent to parents, Sacred Heart Grammar said the decision was made following "careful deliberation".
Dunclug College's website said its pupils were to be staying about an hour and 40 minutes from one of the 11 affected areas.
The decisions come after pupils and staff from three Northern Ireland schools who were recently on school trips to Italy were sent home due to coronavirus concerns.
Cambridge House Grammar sent its pupils home to self-isolate for 14 days.
Health authorities in Northern Ireland and the Republic meanwhile are continuing to work closely to share information about the spread of the virus.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, health minister Simon Harris and the Republic's deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn held a conference call with First Minister Arlene Foster, deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill, health Minister Robin Swann, and the north's chief medical officer, Dr Michael McBride, on Saturday.
Mr Swann said he was closely working with colleagues in the Republic.
"We will continue to co-operate on contact tracing and other vital steps as we work relentlessly to mitigate the spread of Covid 19," he said.
He said he had also been in contact with Mr Harris on Saturday night after the first case of the coronavirus in the Republic was confirmed.
Dr McBride was also briefed by the Republic's chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan.
"Positive test results had been anticipated on both sides of the border and we have repeatedly made clear it was a question of when not if," he said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said Northern Ireland is represented at COBR emergency meetings and all four of the UK's medical officers are working closely together.
"It is normal practice to plan for worst case scenarios. This does not mean these outcomes are expected or likely. This is an important point to underline," she said.
"As has been made clear, we are planning for the worst and working for the best.
"Our primary focus remains on containment. All actions will continue to be based on the best scientific advice."
The Department of Health in Britain yesterday said 12 further patients in England have tested positive for the virus bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 35.
There are fears that St Patrick's Day parades in Belfast and Dublin later this month could be hit by the possible spread of the virus.
Dr Glynn said officials in the Republic are still working on advice about public events.
"Clearly there will be events of major or national significance that will require input from public health doctors and medical expertise," he said.
A spokesman for Belfast City Council said it expected its celebrations to go ahead but added that officials would continue to monitor developments.
"At present, Belfast City Council has no plans to cancel its annual St Patrick's Day celebrations," he said.
"We will continue to follow public health advice and will act in accordance with any advice received."
SDLP councillor Paul McCusker advised people not to panic.
"In terms of large events we have to take advice from the chief medical officer," he said.
"The key thing for people is to be aware that if they have symptoms they follow the advice given."
