Tracy Maureen Perez tested negative for COVID-19, says Miss World Philippines Organization
Tracy Maureen Perez, Philippines’ bet to the Miss World 2021 beauty pageant, has tested negative for COVID-19. A reported coronavirus outbreak within the pageant left 23 out 97 contestants testing positive for the virus.
Miss World Philippines Organization (MWPO) national director Arnold Vegafria assured pageant fans that Perez tested negative for COVID-19 and is taking precautionary measures to ensure her safety and well-being.
“Amid the unexpected turn of events, she continues to uphold her promise to do her best to bring home the crown,” Vegafria said in a statement on Friday, Dec. 17.
He added, “In the meantime, we enjoin everyone to remain hopeful and pray for the health and safety of all contestants, as well as our colleagues from the Miss World Organization.”
Vegafria’s statement came after the Miss World Organization temporarily postponed the pageant’s coronation night, a few hours before it was set to be held at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“We fully support (Miss World Organization founder and CEO) Julia Morley’s concern for the health and safety of all of their contestants amid alarming COVID-19 outbreak in Puerto Rico, and commend their efforts in ensuring that all contestants be immediately quarantined and constantly monitored within the next few weeks,” MWPO’s statement read.
The Miss World Organization (MWO) decided to temporarily postpone the coronation night of the pageant citing health and safety concerns as more candidates and members of the staff tested positive for COVID-19.
Puerto Rico Health Department epidemiologist Melissa Marzan said in a press conference on Dec. 16 that there had been 38 COVID-19 positive cases associated with Miss World—15 members of the staff and 23 contestants. Marzan added that it was the organizers who decided to postpone the pageant and not the authorities of the island.
According to the MWO statement, the coronation night will be rescheduled within the next 90 days.
Upon consultation with medical experts hired to oversee the pageant, organizers required “immediate quarantine, pending observation and further testing” of the staff and candidates.
Once and only when contestants and staff are cleared by health officials and advisors, will contestants and related staff return to their home countries.
The Miss World 2021 coronation night scheduled on Dec. 16 (Dec. 17 in the Philippines) would have been the culmination of pre-pageant activities held in Puerto Rico’s capital city.
Perez was among the early frontrunners in the pageant. She was among the Top 5 candidates in the Beauty with a Purpose Challenge, a charity that supports humanitarian projects across the world.
The Cebuana beauty also announced on social media that the Miss World Organization will be coming to the Philippines to fund “Para Kay Nanay,” her project dedicated to her late mother Chona that aims to empower single parents.
In October, Perez was crowned Miss World Philippines 2021, a pageant that was twice-postponed due to the threats of COVID-19—first in July and second in August.
Prior to the Miss World 2021 postponement, Perez had been re-posting on her Instagram Stories the well wishes of her friends and fans. As of this writing, Perez has not yet posted updates on her social media pages.