China cancels Everest climbs amid Covid surge in Nepal

China has cancelled attempts to climb Mount Everest from its side of the world’s highest peak because of fears of importing Covid-19 cases from neighboring Nepal, state media reported. The closure was confirmed in a notice Friday from China’s General Administration of Sport, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

While China has mostly curbed domestic transmission of the coronavirus, Nepal is experiencing a surge with record numbers of new infections and deaths.

BEIJING:

AP Policemen stand guard as devotees gather to celebrate the Rato Machindranath chariot festival in Lalitpur, Nepal, Saturday, amid strict Covid-19 restrictions.