KATHMANDU: The coronavirus has conquered the world’s highest mountain. A Norwegian climber became the first to be tested for COVID-19 in Mount Everest base camp and was flown by helicopter to Kathmandu, where he was hospitalised, foreign media reported. Erlend Ness told The Associated Press in a message Friday that he tested positive on April 15. He said another test on Thursday was negative and he was now staying with a local family in Nepal.
An ace mountain guide, Austrian Lukas Furtenbach, warned that the virus could spread among the hundreds of other climbers, guides and helpers who are now camped on the base of Everest if all of them are not checked immediately and safety measures are taken.
Any outbreak could prematurely end the climbing season, just ahead of a window of good weather in May, he said. “We would need now most urgently mass testing in base camp, with everyone tested and every team being isolated, no contact between teams,” said Furtenbach. “That needs to be done now, otherwise it is too late.”
A Nepalese mountaineering official denied there were any active cases on the mountains at the moment. Mira Acharya, director at the Department of Mountaineering, said she had no official information about the COVID-19 cases and only reports of illnesses like pneumonia and altitude sickness.
Meeting was chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at the CM House
Petitioner requested court to remove clauses of Anti-Terrorism Act from case
Many families left their homes and shifted to other peaceful areas after several attacks
Committee meeting was held with its convener Ramesh Lal in chair, at Parliament House here
Raja prayed court to grant him protective bail in said cases so that he could approach relevant courts for relief
Court restrained authorities from arresting petitioners
