Nova Scotia reports no new COVID-19 cases Saturday

Nova Scotia is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday.

"Nova Scotians can be proud of the work they're doing to keep our case numbers low," Premier Stephen McNeil said in a news release.

"We need to stay the course following public health protocols and being kind to each other to keep the virus from spreading like we've seen in other provinces during the second wave of the pandemic."

On Friday, McNeil said almost all of the province's public health restrictions will remainuntil at least Feb. 7, but some restrictions in sports, arts and culture will be eased starting Monday.

Sports teams will be able to play games, but with limits on travel and spectators, and there can be no games or tournaments involving teams that would not regularly play against each other. Art and theatre performances can take place without an audience, he said.

The province will also allow residents of adult service centres and regional rehabilitation centres to start volunteering and working in the community again.

In the news release Saturday, the province announced that mental health and addictions support groupswill also be able to meet in larger groups starting Monday. These groups may increase capacity to 25 from 10 with physical distancing.

There are now 20 known active cases in the province andno one is in hospital with the virus.

"While our new cases each day are staying low, we can't get complacent," Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, said in the release."Please continue your vigilance and follow public health measures to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community."

Nova Scotia Health's lab's completed1,438 tests on Friday.

Drop-in testing in Wolfville

Late Friday, Nova Scotia's health authority said it wouldhold apop-up testing clinic in Wolfvillethis weekendafter an Acadia University student tested positive for COVID-19.

Thestudenttested positive after completing their 14-day self-isolation. They are self-isolating again, but did attend class Jan. 18-20.

Drop-in testing will be available at theAcadia Festival Theatre on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Individuals may visit the clinic if they have no symptoms of COVID-19,are not a close contact of a person with the virus and are not isolating because of travel outside of Nova Scotia, P.E.I. or Newfoundland and Labrador.

Atlantic Canada case numbers

• Newfoundland and Labradorreported no new cases Saturday.The province hasfive active cases and one person is in hospital.
• New Brunswickreported 17 new cases on Saturday for a total of 328 active cases. Fivepeople are being treated in hospital, three in intensive care.
• P.E.I.reported two new cases on Tuesday, one related to travel. The other is a close contactof a previously reported case. As of Tuesday, the province had sevenactive cases.