The Nepal Mountaineering Association has asked climbers to help Nepal deal with a surge in Covid-19 cases by returning their oxygen canisters rather than dumping them on the mountain.
The Association estimates at least 3,500 oxygen bottles have been used this season. They often get buried in snow after being abandoned on the slopes at the end of expeditions.
Kul Bahadur Gurung, a senior official with the NMA, has asked climbers to bring them back so they can be refilled and used in hospitals for Covid patients.
Like neighbouring India, Nepal’s health system is close to breaking point due to a surge in cases.
