First case of coronavirus has been reported from Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, which reopened to climbers following a year of closure. Norwegian climber Erlend Ness was isolated in hospital for eight nights due to the virus. Ness was evacuated by helicopter from the Mount Everest base camp to Kathmandu.
A Sherpa — a member of a Tibetan ethnic group native to the Himalayas — working in his party also tested positive for the virus. The outbreak is a blow to Nepal, which relies heavily on income generated from Everest expeditions.
Initially, it was believed that Ness had pulmonary edema, a condition where the air sacs in the lungs fill with fluid that is often associated with altitude sickness. He had tested negative prior to departing from Norway and again while quarantining in Kathmandu before heading to the base camp.
“Not many people used masks on the trek,” recalled Ness, who had been feeling sick for about six days in the mountains before being evacuated on April 15 by helicopter.
“I really hope that none of the others get infected … high up in the mountains. It is impossible to evacuate people with a helicopter when they’re above 8,000 metres,” he said. “Breathing is already difficult at high altitudes, so any outbreak of disease among climbers presents urgent health risks,” added Ness.
A number of climbing companies cancelled all trips for the year due to the coronavirus, but some elected to stay open for the season. According to the guidelines of Nepal, climbers quarantine prior to trekking to the Everest base camp, however, some still raised concerns because of how closely the symptoms of Covid-19 can mimic altitude sickness, such as in Ness’s case.
Nepal has issued 377 permits this year to climb Everest, the world’s highest mountain.
