More than 160 children across the UK have contracted the illness, referred to as non A-E hepatitis or sudden onset hepatitis, and 11 have required a liver transplant.
It said that all of the probable cases were in children aged between one and 12 and all were hospitalised. He said:"On non A-E hepatitis in children, we have now 16 confirmed cases in children in Northern Ireland, some of whom have required specialist treatment in other parts of the United Kingdom, including one who has required a liver transplant.
Dr Gillian Armstrong, from the Public Health Agency, said a range of factors were being examined to determine the cause of the condition. "However, there are a range of other possible causes which are currently being investigated, including a number of other infections as well as looking into toxins and environmental exposures."