Wednesday, 7 May 2025

Round of Applause

 

Symptoms of altitude sickness can include headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, it can lead to slurred speech, cyanosis, coma and even death – not something to take lightly. It isn’t generally a concern below 8,000 feet, but the risk increases significantly above that height. Last week, a Chinese student living in Japan decided to climb Mt. Fuji, a 12,388-foot Japanese stratovolcano. He started to feel the effects of altitude sickness and knew he should descend. But he’d lost his crampons (spiked devices attached to boots for traction) and found himself stuck. He had to be airlifted to safety. Days later, he returned to retrieve his cell phone. He got sick again, and had to be rescued twice in five days. Over 200,000 people climb Mt. Fuji every year, but most do it between July and September, when the trails are officially open, medical facilities are available, and rescue is easier.

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