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The first cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 have been identified in the North.
The Department of Health said it has been made aware of three cases of the variant.
The three cases have been confirmed in the same household in the greater Belfast area and a third unconnected case in the South Eastern Trust area.
All three have been linked to travel to the North from Britain.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride said, “This is a development we have been expecting and preparing for since we were first made aware of the Omicron variant.
“Targeted actions by the Public Health Agency – including testing and enhanced contact tracing – are ongoing to investigate and assess these cases. There is no evidence at this time of wider community transmission in Northern Ireland.
“This is not a time for panic, but for sustained caution. We are awaiting further data on this new variant and the extent of the public health threat it represents.”