The current reproductive rate (R number) of Coronavirus in Northern Ireland is now estimated to be 1.0-1.6.
That means that for every person with the disease, another 1-1.6 people will get it.
The Department of Health also say there has been a further increase in transmission of the virus - but that this may have been influenced by an outbreak at a Co Antrim meat factory.
DoH continues to publish the Covid-19 reproduction number on a weekly basis.
They have also revealed:
- Average number of new positive tests per day last 7 days is 56.3
- 7-day incidence based on new positive tests is 20.7 / 100k people
- 14-day incidence based on new positive tests is 36.9 / 100k people
- 7 day average of total tests which are positive is 1.34%
- 14 people have had their first COVID +ve hospital admission in the last week
- 7 day average number COVID occupied hospital beds - 17.0
A DoH spokesperson said: "The above indicators generally show a further increase in transmission in the last week. The 7 day rolling average for new cases has increased as has test positivity, though both are likely to be strongly influenced by a meat factory outbreak in Mid and East Antrim.
"14 day cases per 100k remain higher than the UK as a whole and ROI. This is likely to be partly explainable by increased testing in the context of the Test / Trace / Protect service.
"However, there is also likely to be a more widespread increase in community transmission which is a matter of significant concern."
They added: "Hospital admissions are increasing very slowly but are still at a low level in comparison to the first wave when there was a comparable number of cases.
"The view from both the Modelling Group and the Strategic Intelligence Group is that they will inevitably rise if cases continue to do so."
