More than 100 climbers infected, even on the world's highest peak, Everest

Kathmandu, 23 May 2021 Sunday

The corona virus has even reached the world's highest peak, Everest. At least 100 climbers and their associates have been found to be infected with the corona, according to mountaineering experts. However, Nepali officials have denied this.

Lucas Furtenbach of Austria is the only major mountaineer to stop his Everest trip last week for fear of the virus. He said on Saturday that his foreign guide and six Nepali Sherpa guides were positive.

"Now we all know about the well-informed incidents," Fartenbach told reporters in Kathmandu. It has the support of rescuers, insurance companies, doctors, and mountaineers. "I have a list of positive cases, so we can prove it," he added.

We have a list of at least 100 people who tested positive for corona at base camp. That number could be as high as 150 to 200, Fertenbach added.

He said there were so many cases at Everest Base Camp because he saw people sick himself. People were coughing inside their tents. A total of 203 foreign climbers have been allowed to climb Everest this season. He is accompanied by hundreds of Sherpas and associates who have been living in the base camp since April.

Officials with Nepal's mountaineering department, however, have denied any active cases among mountaineers and allies at the base camp this session. The mountaineering program was discontinued last year due to the Corona.

Fertenbach said most mountaineering teams do not have virus testing kits. He helped with the testing after his team skipped mountaineering, which resulted in two positive cases.

Most of the troops are still at base camp. They can start the last leg of their Everest journey so the weather is expected to be clear next week. The mountaineering season is coming to an end this month, Fartenbach added.

It may be noted that China has stopped climbing Everest last week for fear of a transition from Nepal due to the increase in Koro cases in Nepal.