The
Miss
World
2021
pageant
finale
has
been
"temporarily
postponed" after
several
contestants,
including
India's
Manasa
Varanasi,
tested
positive
for
coronavirus,
according
to
organisers.
The
organisers
posted
a
statement
on
the
official
social
media
pages
of
Miss
World
and
said
the
finale,
which
was
scheduled
to
be
at
Coliseum
Jose
Miguel
Agrelot
in
San
Juan,
Puerto
Rico,
on
Thursday
(December
16),
will
now
take
place
after
90
days.
"After
meeting
with
the
virologists
and
medical
experts
hired
to
oversee
the
Miss
World
2021
event
and
discussing
with
the
Puerto
Rico
Health
Department,
the
decision
has
been
made
by
the
organizers
of
the
event
to
postpone
the
globally
broadcast
finale
at
the
Puerto
Rico
Coliseum
Jose
Miguel
Agrelot
to
be
held
within
the
next
90
days.
"As
of
yesterday,
additional
safety
measures
were
implemented
in
the
best
interest
of
the
contestants,
production
team
and
spectators,
understanding
the
event
increased
risks
on
the
stage
and
in
the
dressing
room,"
the
statement
read.
The
organisers
said
after
additional
positive
cases
were
confirmed,
they
took
the
decision
to
postpone
the
event
in
consultations
with
health
officials
and
experts.
"The
next
step
according
to
the
medical
experts
is
immediate
quarantine,
pending
observation
and
further
testing
according
to
best
practices
in
situations
like
this.
"Once
and
only
when
contestants
and
staff
are
cleared
by
health
officials
and
advisors,
will
contestants
and
related
staff
return
to
their
home
countries," it
added.
In
a
separate
post
on
Instagram,
Femina
Miss
India
said
Varanasi
is
among
the
contestants
who
have
tested
positive
for
coronavirus
in
Puerto
Rico.
"We
were
in
great
disbelief
that
she
(Manasa
Varanasi)
might
not
be
able
to
grace
the
world
stage
inspite
of
her
immense
hard
work
and
dedication,
however
her
safety
is
of
utmost
importance
to
us," Miss
India
Organisation
said
on
their
official
Instagram
page.
"We
can't
wait
to
welcome
Manasa
back
home,
nurture
her
back
to
health
and
send
her
back
stronger,
healthier
and
happier,"
it
added.
Julia
Morley,
CEO
of
Miss
World
Ltd,
said,
"We
are
very
much
looking
forward
to
the
return
of
our
contestants,
(who
we
have
grown
to
know
and
love),
to
compete
for
the
Miss
World
crown."
"Puerto
Rico
offers
a
safe
environment
and
a
spectacular
backdrop
for
filming
the
Miss
World
Festival!"
she
added.