The coronavirus outbreak has reached the top of the world. Nepal announced on Friday it is shutting down all expeditions on Mount Everest for the rest of this year's climbing season amid the worsening global pandemic.
The move followed reports from climbers that the Chinese government has shut the Tibet side of the mountain.
"Expeditions to Mount Everest have been closed with immediate effect. Climbing permits are cancelled till the end of April," Nepal's Tourism Secretary Kedar Bahadur Adhikari said.
The decision comes at the start of this year's closely watched climbing season, which was already getting underway amid concerns around overcrowding on the Earth's highest peak. Permits to climb Everest cost around $11,000.
Breathing is hampered by the extreme altitudes on the mountain, so an outbreak of the coronavirus -- which often causes respiratory problems -- could have been particularly devastating at an Everest base camp.
"This is disappointing news for both our expedition leaders and our clients who have trained for months for this year's climb," said Lukas Furtenbach, the Founder and CEO of a guided expedition company. "We understand the dire consequences a Covid-19 outbreak at base camp would have. Sadly, we have to agree that this is a responsible call to make right now."
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