By Chandani Acharya, Lamki (Kailali), May. 19: Although the COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed in both, India and Nepal, people's mobility in various border points of Sudurpaschim Province has remained unchanged.

"Around 600 to 700 Nepalis are crossing the Nepal-India border every day from Dharchula border point of Darchula, Jhulaghat of Baitadi and Gaddachauki and Gauriphanta of Kanchanpur district," said SP Yogendra Singh Thapa of Sudurpaschim Province Police Office.

He informed that over 75,000 Nepalis had returned from India via four main border points of Sudurpaschim in the last two months. "A total of 75,655 people have returned from India via four border points from March 25 until now," said SP Thapa, adding that 27,129 people had crossed Nepal's border during the same time frame.

"The Nepalis who had been to various cities of India for employment started returning from March-end after the second wave of the pandemic with new and highly infectious variants of the virus hit India," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Gunraj Awasthi, director at the Sudurpaschim Health Directorate, said that it was mandatory for all returnees to undergo health checkups at the health desks set up at the four main entry points at the border.

"The active COVID-19 patients who test positive in the antigen test are sent to various COVID-19 hospitals within the district," Dr. Awasthi said.