Stormont ministers are set to consider relaxations to Covid-19 restrictions. They will be informed by the latest department of health data which indicates Northern Ireland is likely at the peak of cases in the Omicron surge.
A paper, seen by the PA news agency, advises that case numbers fell substantially in the last week "primarily due" to reduced PCR tests due to a change in testing policy, But it notes the region is "likely to be at or around peak in terms of case numbers for the Omicron wave at present".
The paper indicates the true extent of the rise in case numbers is masked by the impact of the change in testing policy, with confirmatory PCR tests no longer required.
The data suggests between one in 15 and one in 20 of the population tested positive for the virus in the week up to 7 January, indicating around 18,000 cases per day, which corresponds to the central and pessimistic scenarios presented in mid-December.