The winner of the Netherlands in 2019 tested positive for corona today and is therefore not allowed to perform his song ‘Arcade’ live in the final on Saturday.
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It is already the second positive corona infection with an artist in two days. Yesterday also tested one group member of Iceland positive, which means that according to the rules of the organizer European Broadcasting Union the band is not allowed to perform in the second semifinal tonight (and probably not in the final on Saturday either). The live performance will be replaced by a pre-recorded video of the rehearsals.
• This was the opinion of the foreign press of Hooverphonic’s performance
Now Duncan Laurence has also tested positive. He opened the first semifinal on Tuesday with a new song. Then there was still nothing in the air, because he had taken a negative test the day before in the test village at the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam.
But Wednesday morning he showed mild symptoms and an antigen test revealed that he is infected with corona. The chance that he was already positive and possibly contagious on Tuesday night, when he performed, is therefore high. He received a Global Platinum Award from presenter Edsilia Rombley for the worldwide success of his song ‘Arcade’.
He would sing that song in the final on Saturday, but he can now draw a line through it. An alternative way is being sought to involve him in the show. The singer, according to his management, is already at the heart of it: “Duncan had been looking forward to this moment for two years.”
Only 16 positive tests
For the first time, the EBU comes with figures on the total number of corona tests and infections around the festival. Since the start of the build on April 6, they have conducted more than 24,400 tests with crew members, volunteers, artists, delegates and the press. Of these, only 16 tests (0.06 percent) were positive. None of them indicated contamination on the Songfestival site.
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