China mulls border on Everest to block virus

China will create “a line of separation” at the Mount Everest summit to prevent climbers from the Chinese side from mingling with those climbing the world’s tallest mountain from the Nepalese side, according to reports.

The decision was taken after a number of Covid-19 cases were detected among climbers ascending the Himalayan mountain from Nepal, the report said.

The Everest base camp on the Nepalese side has reportedly been hit by Covid-19 since late April with Nepal yet to cancel the spring climbing season.

A team of Tibetan mountaineering guides will set up the separation line at the peak before climbers attempt to reach the summit from the Chinese side, news agency Xinhua reported. The report did not make it clear how the separation line will be drawn.

It’s likely that mountaineers climbing the north side of the Everest from China will be prohibited from crossing the line or coming into contact with anyone or any objects on the Nepalese side.

Bring back oxygen tanks: Nepal tells Everesters

Amid an escalating Covid-19 crisis, Nepal is so short of oxygen canisters that it has asked climbers on the Everest to bring back their empties instead of abandoning them on mountain slopes, an official said.

Nepal issued climbing permits to over 700 climbers for 16 Himalayan peaks - 408 to the Everest - for the April-May climbing season in a bid to get the mountaineering industry and tourism back up and running.