The coronavirus R rate in Northern Ireland could be as high as 1.8. The government's health department said the number had risen from between 0.5 to 1 last week, to between 0.8 and 1.8.
Scientists say that while case numbers drop, the R rate will shift with "volatility" and be "heavily influenced by small local clusters".
The R rate represents the number of people an infected person can pass the disease on to. A government statement read: "Community transmission remains low in Northern Ireland. "Although it is important to note that the number of positive tests per day has increased threefold from early July." Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Ian Young said "the most recent data for Northern Ireland underlines the need for continued