Miss World 2021 Postponed: India's Manasa Varanasi, 16 Others COVID Positive

Miss World 2021 postponed: Miss World 2021 finale, scheduled to be held on December 16, was postponed after COVID-19 positive cases were reported. This year's representative for India to the pageant, Manasa Varanasi, is one of the contestants who tested positive for coronavirus.

The Miss World 2021 finale was temporarily postponed keeping the safety of the contestants, staff, crew and general public in mind. The finale was supposed to be held in Puerto Rico and the organisers have announced that the event will be rescheduled in the next 90 days.

The official statement from the pageant organisers read, "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 organisers 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." The decision to postpone the beauty pageant was taken after as many as 17 contestants and staff members tested positive for COVID-19.

The statement also said that additional safety measures were taken in the best interest of the people participating and spectators, with an understanding that risk increases on the stage and in the dressing room. However, when additional cases of the coronavirus were reported, a decision was made to postpone the event.

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After cases of COVID-19 were detected, the organisers said they sought medical experts' opinion, which was "immediate quarantine, pending observation and further testing according to best practices in situations like this.

Miss India pageant organisers too put out a statement on their social media account and prayed for the health of those infected. Expressing disbelief that "Manasa Varanasi might not be able to grace the world stage in spite of her immense hard work and dedication," they said that her safety is "utmost" priority. The Miss India organisers thanked Miss World event organisers for prioritising the health of not only the contestant infected but others too.

"We can't wait to welcome Manasa Varanasi back home, nurture her back to health and send her back stronger, healthier and happier. Power to you all!" the post concluded. The contestants and staff, after getting medical clearance, will be returning to their respective home countries.

23-year-old Manasa Varanasi is the winner of Miss India World 2020 in an event which was held in Mumbai on February 20. She is from Telangana and is a financial information exchange analyst by profession. Read more about her here.