When the body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, hypothermia can set in, leading to shivering, confusion and eventually death if left untreated.
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Leo Namen, Canadian climber
“I’ve been in other base camps in the past, and if one person gets the flu, basically the entire base camp gets the flu,” Namen said. “So [there] was a very, very strong concern about it.”
Namen said some COVID-19 safety measures are in place at base camp. Expedition teams have to stay in roped-off areas, and most people comply. He added, though, that he had to tell people on two occasions to keep their masks above their noses.
An official with the Himalayan Rescue Association told the BBC this week that 17 climbers have tested positive for COVID-19 after being evacuated off the mountain. A separate organization, the Nepal Mountaineering Association, confirmed only three cases to The World.