China Cancels Everest Climbs Over Fears of Virus from Nepal

BEIJING - China has canceled 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.  The move reflects the abundance of caution China has taken in dealing with the pandemic. While China has mostly curbed domestic transmission of the coronavirus, Nepal is experiencing a surge with record numbers of new infections and deaths.   China had issued permits to 38 people, all Chinese citizens, to climb the 8,849-meter-high mountain this spring. Nepal has given permission to 408 people. Climbing was not allowed from either side last year because of the pandemic.