How do you close a whole mountain?

Nepal is shutting down Mount Everest due to concerns over the coronavirus.

According to the BBC, government officials announced they will cancel all climbing permits through April 30. “As of now, all issued permits and permits yet to be issued for the 2020 Everest season will be canceled,” said Narayan Prasad Bidari, Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office.

China had already shut down expeditions from the Chinese-controlled side of the mountain. Climbers are a major source of revenue for the Nepalese government. They primarily come from the United States, India, the United Kingdom, Japan, China, and South Korea.

There is only one confirmed case of coronavirus in Nepal thus far, but there are 70 cases over the border in India.

Filed under: corona, coronavirus, covid-19, everest