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Coronavirus pandemic
ChinaPolitics

China cancels spring Everest climbing season over Nepal Covid-19 cases

  • Sports authorities say action needed to ensure there is no chance of imported infections
  • A group of climbers already on their way to summit from northern side

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China has cancelled the spring season for climbing Mount Everest from the northern side. Photo: Xinhua
Mimi Lau
Chinese authorities have cancelled the spring climbing season on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest, citing concerns about coronavirus cases in neighbouring Nepal.

The General Administration of Sport of China said on Friday that all permits issued to Chinese climbers had been cancelled, state news agency Xinhua reported.

The administration said it cancelled the permits to ensure there was no chance of imported cases of Covid-19 amid the outbreak in Nepal.

A group of 21 climbers was already en route to the summit from the northern side and 38 had approval to scale the peak this year, according to Xinhua.

Mount Everest is known as Qomolangma in China and straddles the Himalayan border between China and Nepal.

02:08

Everest climbers ‘camp’ at home ahead of expedition to shorten stay in Covid-19 stricken Nepal

Everest climbers ‘camp’ at home ahead of expedition to shorten stay in Covid-19 stricken Nepal

Last week, Chinese authorities said they would establish “a line of separation” on the summit to prevent transmission between climbers after a cluster of Covid-19 cases was reported at a base camp in Nepal.

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