Indian mountaineer Baljeet Kaur tests positive for COVID-19; to embark on next climb after recovery

Prominent Indian mountaineer Baljeet Kaur, evacuated from Mt. Annapurna has tested positive for Covid-19 and is likely to be discharged in a day or two, organisers of the expedition said.

Kaur, 27, was found alive on Tuesday, a day after she went missing near Camp IV of Mt Annapurna while descending from the summit point. An aerial search team located Kaur above Camp IV and brought her to Kathmandu.

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She suffered from frostbite and was rushed to CIWEC Hospital from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

"She is doing well and is recovering from Covid-19. She has been kept under isolation while undergoing treatment at CIWEC Hospital," Pasang Tenje Sherpa, chairperson of Pioneer Adventure Pvt. Ltd. who organised the expedition said.

"She is a good climber and she will embark for Dhaulagiri once she is fully recovered," said Sherpa. "After successfully scaling Annapurna without supplemental oxygen, she felt very weak and asked for help. She was evacuated from an elevation of 24,193 feet (approximately 7,400 metres)," said Sherpa.

"We had mobilised three helicopters including Heli-Everest at 24,193 feet on Mt. Annapurna from where she was airlifted. This was for the first time anyone was rescued from a height of above 7,000 metres in the Annapurna region," he said.

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"She has suffered only a little frostbite in two of her toe fingers. Otherwise, she is fine and will be discharged on Friday or Saturday," he said. "She was planning to climb the other five mountains too," Sherpa said.

Last year, Baljeet climbed six eight-thousanders including Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu with supplemental oxygen and now she was attempting to climb all the six eight-thousanders without it, according to Sherpa.

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The eight-thousanders are the 14 mountains recognised by the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) that are more than 8,000 metres (26,247 ft) in height above sea level and are sufficiently independent of neighbouring peaks.

All six international climbers and six Sherpa climbers who attempted Annapurna under the management of Pioneer Adventure have succeeded in the mission. There were two Indians and four Americans, he added.

(With inputs from PTI)