Nepal has closed all of its Himalayan peaks including Mount Everest this climbing season because of fears of the coronavirus outbreak, a government minister said according to Reuters.

Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai said expeditions to all peaks in the March-May spring season had been suspended.

"Climbing this season has been closed," Bhattarai told Reuters.

"It is as a precaution for that," he added, when asked it its was because of the coronavirus.

Nepal has confirmed just one case of the coronavirus — a student studying in China on a trip home — out of 450 people tested.