A Ukrainian couple, who were on their way to Kathmandu through Kakadvitta border point in Jhapa district, returned to India on Thursday after they were suspected to have been suffering from Covid-19.

Bhadrika Bisunkhe, an official at a health desk at the Kakadvitta border point, immediately informed the health unit of Mechinagar Municipality after both the Ukrainian nationals were found suffering from high fever and showed common cold symptoms.

She said both Andrill Larygin (34) and his wife Olena Clinko (43) had body temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit during a screening upon their arrival at the border point from India. The couple had planned to travel to Kathmandu after visiting Indian hill station Darjeeling.

The municipality’s health team reached the health desk immediately and decided to send the Ukrainian couple to an isolation ward of Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences as none of the health institutions in Jhapa has isolation ward. But they refused to go to Dharan. “They decided to return to India rather than going to Dharan,” said Shashikala Rai, chief at the health unit of Mechinagar Municipality.

The government had said it would establish isolation wards in Mechi Zonal Hospital in Bhadrapur and B&C Hospital in Birtamod. “It was decided to set up isolation wards but nothing has been done so far in that regard,” said Rai.