Updated May 17 at 8am

Malta’s Destiny Chukunyere missed the opening of the Eurovision song contest as a COVID-19 precaution.

Sunday's "Turquoise carpet" event launched the glitzy week-long Eurovision competition in Rotterdam, which was cancelled in 2020 and scaled-down this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Although all members of the Maltese delegation have tested negative, a member of the Icelandic delegation, staying at the same hotel as Malta, tested positive for the virus. All members of that team are now in quarantine.

In a statement, the European Broadcasting Union, which organises the contest, said all artists received a PCR test on Saturday. All delegation members are taking PCR tests every two days.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, a sad but elegant looking Destiny posted two photos of herself and wrote: 

“This was my look for the Turquoise carpet and Eurovision Song Contest opening this evening. Unfortunately enough, due to COVID-19 restrictions and protocols I can’t participate as another case has been detected in our hotel.”

She said she is safe and that following the protocols in place remained the main priority. 

Destiny's artistic manager Howard Keith Debono also took to Facebook to lament the situation. 

"If anyone thinks that being part of, or even hosting a mass event is easy during a pandemic think again!!! Rotterdam is trying their best & spent hundreds of thousands on security checks & mitigation measures, but unfortunately there's still outbreaks & cases reported. We patiently await instructions in our hotel rooms. Health first above all & getting tested every 2 days, in some cases even every day. Our noses aren't happy."

Apart from Malta, the Romania delegation team, which is in the same hotel as Malta, also did not take part in the Turquoise Carpet event.

Also missing from the carpet was Poland, since a member of the Polish team tested positive on Saturday. The Polish delegation is in quarantine.

Destiny from Malta poses for a photo after the second rehearsal of the second semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam on May 13, 2021.Photo: AFP

Destiny has already taken part in two dress rehearsals.

In the first, her neon pink outfit caused an online stir on social media. Her second outfit was more warmly accepted.

On Thursday night, she was also honoured with a TV award, just before slipping down on the bookmaker's odd list. 

She is now third favourite to win the contest according to betting sites.

Destiny will sing in the first semi-final on Tuesday (tomorrow) hoping to make it to the final night on Saturday.

This year's Eurovision festival is organised with rules imposed by the Dutch government to allow the contest at the port city's Ahoy Arena to go ahead.

National delegations have to follow strict protocols, remaining separate from the audience and being tested every 48 hours.

Shows including dress rehearsals, two semi-finals and next Saturday's final will only have 3,500 spectators, around 20% of the Ahoy Arena's capacity.