The death of a baby is suspected to be the second fatal case of swine flu in Northern Ireland.
A postmortem examination is to be conducted on the baby to confirm if the H1N1 virus was the underlying cause.
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey told the Assembly today he had been informed of a possible second swine flu fatality, but did not reveal any further details.
"Obviously every death is tragic and my thoughts and sympathies are with the family," said the Ulster Unionist.
Last month, a 39-year-old mother of two from Co Antrim became the first swine flu victim in the North. Caroline Hoy from Ahoghill, Co Antrim, died in Belfast City hospital. She was already terminally ill with cancer when she contracted the virus.
In July, Coleraine born solider Lee Porter (30) died in a hospital in England from swine flu.
Within Northern Ireland there have now been 217 laboratory confirmed cases, although the number of clinically diagnosed cases is now almost 9,000. A total of 94 people have been hospitalised.
However, health officials have scaled down their worst case scenario predictions on the back of evidence that the virus is milder than first feared.
If the most serious projections play out in Northern Ireland when the second wave of the virus hits in the autumn, around 500,000 will contract the condition, 5,000 may be hospitalised and up to 525 could die.
Mr McGimpsey assured the Assembly that his department was taking appropriate action to cope with the outbreak. "This is not a killer virus but is still one that can kill," he said. "So we must continue to put plans in place which are proportionate to the threat we face."
During his briefing to the Assembly on the current spread of the virus, Mr McGimpsey warned of serious consequences for health services in the region if funding to meet the bill for coping with swine flu was not met.
The minister has already spent £30 million on necessities such as antivirals, vaccines, personal protection equipment and antibiotics and has predicted that the total spend could approach £100 million.
"I must remind the house that without funding there will be serious consequences for the health and social care service, patients and the public," he said.
PA