Miss Universe contestant in Israel tests positive for COVID-19

JERUSALEM (AP) — Organizers of next month's Miss Universe pageant say one of the contestants has tested positive for COVID-19.

It was not immediately clear if she had tested positive for the newly detected omicron variant. Israeli authorities have said they will go ahead with holding the pageant in the southern city of Eilat in December despite the rapidly spreading new variant.

The Miss Universe Organization, which is organizing the pageant, did not identify the contestant who tested positive or her nationality. It said Monday that she tested positive upon arrival in Israel and was taken to a government-run isolation hotel.

It said she was fully vaccinated and tested prior to departure. The organizers said most of the 80 contestants have arrived in Israel.