Following a Covid outbreak, an American research outpost in Antarctica was closed to inbound visitors.
According to the National Science Foundation, which runs McMurdo Station on Ross Island’s southernmost point in Antarctica, 98 positive cases have been reported since October. At the moment, 885 people reside at McMurdo Station.
For the next two weeks, it stated, it will halt all inbound travel within the continent as it reevaluates the situation.
As per WION, The US National Science Foundation announced on Saturday that it will halt all travel to the continent for the next two weeks while it reevaluated the situation, in keeping with its commitment to balance research and operational demands while containing the spread of Covid cases in Antarctica.
According to the organization, the temporary ban does not apply to travel that is required for safety and health reasons. For the convenience of the station’s citizens, a medical facility is on site.
At Chile’s base, 36 persons tested positive for the disease in December 2020, marking the beginning of the cases. In January 2022, 24 instances were found at Argentina’s Esperenza facility, while 11 of the 30 people in the Belgian research station Princess Elisabeth were sick a year later.
It occurs when numerous researchers travel to the continent for two to three months of study. After two years of COVID-19 disruption, this year marked the return of Antarctic research for a full season.
