Norwegian climber Erland Ness hoping to reach Mount Everest’s summit confirmed on Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19. This was a huge blow to Nepal’s mountaineering season on the world’s highest mountain. Already having forced last year’s season to be cancelled, Nepal had eased quarantine rules in an effort to attract more climbers. Ness was evacuated from the mountain by helicopter and taken to a hospital in the Nepali capital Kathmandu.
Ness told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that he hopes none of the otter’s get infected with the virus high up in the mountains. ‘It is impossible to evacuate people with a helicopter when they’re above 8,000 metres.’ With breathing made difficult to the high altitudes, any outbreak of disease presents major health risks.
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Photo Source: Brittanica