Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Ms Brid Rodgers today said further tests on farms in the North showed there were no further suspect cases of foot-and-mouth disease.
Mrs Rodgers, who convened a meeting of an interdepartmental group in the Stormont Executive to monitor the outbreak, said: "We had no suspect cases which have necessitated sending samples to Purbright {in Britain)."
She said this means there are no "hot suspects" at all.
"We have just one confirmed case of foot-and-mouth in Northern Ireland about which you know. We had two suspect cases in the Omagh lab and in another area and those two, the preliminary results have been negative. So that is good news."
The SDLP minister said she was "somewhat more optimistic" that the outbreak of foot-andmouth disease which occurred in South Armagh would be the only one in the North.
"It is difficult to be happy but I would say that I am somewhat more optimistic than I was four or five days ago but I want to emphasise that we are not yet out of the woods and we have to continue our vigilance," she added.
Mrs Rodgers welcomed the support of sporting organisations, cultural groups and other branches of society who had cancelled events.
However she criticised the Belfast Giants ice hockey team for pressing ahead with their matches at the city's multi-million pound Odyssey Arena.
"I am extremely concerned about that and I am particularly concerned about tonight because I understand that they are coming over from Wales.
"I am concerned about the failure of the Giants to recognise the seriousness of the situation or to abide by the advice that has been given by the Department because it is not given lightly."
PA
