Michelle O'Neill 'working remotely' after negative Covid-19 test

Michelle O'Neill has been self-isolating at her home in Mid-Ulster

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has tested negative for Covid-19.

It is understood Michelle O'Neill has been self-isolating since she learned a relative was infected with coronavirus.

The Sinn Féin vice-president said she "will continue to self-isolate and carry out my ministerial duties remotely".

There have been 902 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Northern Ireland by the Department of Health in the last 24 hours.

As of Saturday, 134 Covid patients were being treated in hospital, with 19 in intensive care and 11 on ventilators.

There were no further Covid-related deaths recorded in the past 24 hours, leaving the death total at 587.

There have been 5,475 new cases of the virus reported in the last seven days, bringing the overall total number of cases confirmed in Northern Ireland to 19,092.

In the Republic of Ireland, there have been 1,012 new cases and three deaths.

It brings the total number of cases in the country to 41,714 and the number of deaths to 1,824.

Ireland's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said he was "very worried about the numbers we are seeing".

The negative test for the deputy first minister comes as the Stormont Executive continues to grapple with high infection rates across Northern Ireland, with the Derry and Strabane Council districts one of the worst hit areas in the UK and Ireland.

On Friday, Northern Ireland recorded the highest daily total for the number of positive Covid-19 tests since the Department of Health rolled out its current testing model with 1,080 positive cases.

In a written statement to the assembly, the health minister said the current estimate of R, or rate of infection in Northern Ireland, is between 1.3 and 1.8.

R is the number of people that one infected person will pass on a virus to, on average.

Robin Swann said over the last week, there has been a 100% increase in cases reported with only a 15% increase in testing.

"There has been a progressive rise in Covid hospital patients, which are now around 33% of peak levels during wave one," he said.

"Cases are currently doubling every seven days and hospital admissions every nine days, both reduced from last week; if current trends remain unabated hospital inpatients will exceed those of wave one in only two to three weeks.

"The situation is grave and getting more so, on a daily if not hourly basis."

On Thursday, Ms O'Neill took part in an executive meeting with First Minister Arlene Foster.

The meeting saw ministers sign off on proposals brought by Justice Minister Naomi Long, so people caught breaching coronavirus regulations will now face a minimum fine of £200.

On Thursday night, Mrs Long told the BBC NI's The View programme that she believed that she had been infected with the virus earlier this year and felt unwell for some time.