PRAKASH MATHEMA
China fears the transmission of corona infections by mountaineers who start their ascent on the Nepalese side of the mountain.
In the past few weeks, several corona infections had been found in the base camp on the Nepalese side. India’s neighboring country Nepal is currently suffering from a severe second corona wave.
How long China will keep the lock up was initially unclear. Last week, Beijing had already announced a “dividing line” to prevent Chinese mountaineers from becoming infected with mountaineers coming from Nepal. The practical implementation of this project on the narrow summit, which only offers space for a few climbers, remained unclear.
The 8,848 meter high Mount Everest can be climbed from the Nepalese south side or from the Chinese north side. China, in which the coronavirus first appeared in late 2019, has now largely contained the epidemic.