Could NI return to lockdown?
Robin Swann has warned a return to lockdown cannot be ruled out in Northern Ireland.
The health minister said stepped-up testing and contact tracing was identifying more Covid-19 cases.
On Monday his department confirmed 39 more diagnoses. In the last seven days 302 people have tested positive.
Downtown Radio & Cool FM spoke to the province's chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young who also warned that localised restrictions could be imposed where cases have surged.
Professor Ian Young said the rising numbers were of "considerable concern'' and represented a 10-fold increase on infection rates earlier in the summer.
He said two council areas - Antrim & Newtownabbey and Mid & East Antrim - were particularly affected by surges.
Prof Young added: "I think we're getting close to the point, certainly in those areas with the high numbers of cases, that we may have to consider whether any additional local measures are required.
"I don't think we're at the point where we'd be considering measures across the whole of Northern Ireland because there are still many parts of Northern Ireland where, as a result of public behaviours and other factors, the level of virus remains at a low level.''