Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster has confirmed that Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland will remain in place for a further three weeks, and will be reviewed again at that stage.
Only essential travel will be permitted and people are urged to remain at home to limit coronavirus spread as ministers attempt to replenish supplies of protective equipment for health workers.
Six new deaths from the Covid-19 virus have taken place in the North, taking the death toll to 140, with a further 121 laboratory-confirmed cases detected. The total number of cases there is 2,088.
Ms Foster said Northern Ireland remains in the middle of the first wave of Covid-19 cases, continuing to try to flatten the peak.
"There's nothing more important at this time, it really is a matter of life and death," she said.
"We review that every three weeks and we will now review that again based on the data that we have as to what should happen in the future.
"When this all started the process was about containing, then it was about delaying, then it was about mitigation and the next phase of that is recovery.
"We're not at that stage yet but what we will be doing in the executive will be planning for the recovery and of course it's right that we need to plan for the recovery."
Meanwhile Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill addressed concern around the reporting of Covid-19 deaths, particularly in care homes.
"It is a welcome development that NISRA (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) will now publish in weekly reports on the deaths and suspected deaths related to Covid-19 in care homes," she said.
"I think these statistics whenever they are available will be sobering and I believe they will reflect a truer picture of the devastation that is caused by Covid-19.
"It will bring home to us all just how serious this situation is and more importantly why we all must follow that crucial advice, to stay at home and only go out if you absolutely have to."
Ms O'Neill said following a lengthy discussion the Northern Ireland Executive had agreed that restrictions cannot yet be relaxed.
"Keeping these measures in place remains a necessity," she said.
"We know it's not easy but this is the time to dig in, this is the time to stay strong and this is the time to stay at home and save lives."
Turning to testing, Ms O'Neill said capacity is increasing.
"Testing is now being carried out at multiple sites with further centres due to open tomorrow in Derry and in Craigavon," she said.
Ms O'Neill has also said she will not stand in the way of a request to theBritish army for help during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Deputy First Minister had criticised Northern Ireland's Health Minister Robin Swann over the weekend, claiming he had asked for the army's assistance without consulting his Executive colleagues.
Speaking at the Executive's press briefing today, Ms O'Neill said she has had a conversation with Mr Swann about the matter.
"My number one priority is to save lives and whatever is required, including using the British Army to save lives, I will not stand in the way, that's what I'm here to do. I only have one objective," she said.
