The Maharashtra public health department has issued directions to all deputy directors across the state to submit records along with medical board opinions on cases of avascular necrosis (AVN), also known as “bone death”, after receiving complaints from patients about severe hip pain months after recovering from Covid-19, said officials on Saturday.
Avascular necrosis is the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply and commonly affects the femur (thigh bone). (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)
The data will be forwarded to senior authorities to assess the scale of the problem and further action.
Avascular necrosis is the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply and commonly affects the femur (thigh bone). The condition is described as the death of the bone tissue when the blood supply does not reach the hip joint. AVN can be caused by fracture, dislocation of joints or during cancer treatment due to exposure to radiation. Alcohol or steroid abuse are also major risk factors.
Dr Bhagwan Pawar, deputy director of health services, Pune region, last week directed Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations and local bodies in the Pune region to verify AVN cases.
“I recovered from Covid and thought the worst was over. Months later, I couldn’t even climb stairs or sit cross-legged. After an MRI test, the doctors stated that it is an AVN case and advised hip replacement surgery,” said a 52-year-old patient from Pune.
“We are trying to understand the extent of AVN cases and whether there is a correlation with Covid infection or treatment protocols,” said Dr Sandeep Sangale, joint director, state family welfare bureau.
“If AVN is detected in the initial stages, progression can sometimes be slowed with medication and lifestyle changes. A surgical procedure and core decompression is advisable in the pre-collapsed stage. Unfortunately, many patients report late, when surgery becomes unavoidable,” said Dr Anil Santpure, an orthopaedic surgeon at Aundh District Hospital.
According to officials, patient groups have urged the government to establish a dedicated portal to track post-Covid complications such as AVN.
IND W vs AUS W 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Harmanpreet Kaur in action
IND W vs AUS W 3rd T20I LIVE Score: With the series tied at 1-1, India take on Australia in the third and final women’s T20I in Adelaide on Saturday. The visitors will need their batters to perform collectively against Aussie bowlers, who have been in good form lately. Also, India Women have never registered a bilateral series win in Australia across all formats. In the second T20I, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma got good starts, but failed to capitalise as India failed to chase down a target of 164 runs. The Aussie trio of Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland and Sophie Molineux got rid of five Indian batters for only seven runs as the visitors failed to get any kind of control in the run chase. The spotlight will also be on Indian pacers. Renuka Singh, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Goud and Amanjot Kaur need to find the perfect lines, especially against Australia’s dominant batters. For the Aussies, the focus will be on Georgia Voll, who has taken over the opening role from now-retired Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy.
Australia – Sophie Molineux (c), Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
Follow all the updates here:
Feb 21, 2026 12:08:13 PM IST
IND W vs AUS W 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Hello and welcome everyone!
IND W vs AUS W 3rd T20I LIVE Score: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of today’s third T20I between India and Australia in Adelaide. The series is tied at 1-1 and winner today will clinch the series.
New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) Former Jaypee Infratech MD Manoj Gaur surrendered before Tihar Jail authorities after a Delhi court recently rejected his plea for a regular bail in an alleged homebuyers fraud-linked money laundering case being investigated by the ED.
Former Jaypee Infratech MD Manoj Gaur surrendered before Tihar Jail authorities after a Delhi court recently rejected his plea for a regular bail in an alleged homebuyers fraud-linked money laundering case being investigated by the ED. (HT File photo)
Officials said Gaur, who had secured interim bail, surrendered Feb 19 and is now lodged in Tihar Jail.
Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd also filed a regulatory update on Feb 20 stating that Gaur, a non-executive director and chairman of the company, has “surrendered before judicial authorities upon expiration of the term of his interim bail”.
On February 17, a Delhi court dismissed Gaur’s regular bail plea, emphasising that the allegations against him involved cheating and criminal breach of trust concerning numerous people.
The court said that while thousands of homebuyers, who had invested their hard-earned money in pursuit of their dream homes, kept running from pillar to post, Gaur was enjoying the proceeds of crime.
The businessman was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on November 13, 2025, in a case linked to a ₹14,599-crore “fraud” with homebuyers.
The federal agency has alleged that funds collected from thousands of homebuyers for the construction and completion of residential projects were diverted for purposes other than construction, defrauding the buyers and leaving their projects incomplete.
The ED claimed that two companies — Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL) and Jaypee Infratech Limited (JIL) — collected more than ₹33,000 crore for constructing the residential projects Jaypee Wishtown and Jaypee Greens in Noida and Greater Noida, respectively.
The money laundering case stems from the FIRs of the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police, which took cognisance of the complaint filed by the homebuyers of Jaypee Wishtown and Jaypee Greens projects.
The buyers alleged that JIL, JAL and their promoters, including Gaur, collected funds from thousands of investors for the construction of houses but “diverted” the money, leaving the homebuyers defrauded and their projects incomplete.
A viral claim about Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau expecting their first child together is doing the rounds online. This comes after the Roar singer and the former Canada Prime Minister made their relationship public.
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau were rumored to be dating since mid-2025. (X/@MadelnCanada)
“Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau are expecting their first child together,” a post on X mentioned, attaching a photo of the two together. It has garnered about 1.7 million views at the time of writing.
Several people commented on the post, expressing excitement. “That will be the wokest baby ever!,” one person remarked. Another added “if this is true then i’m officially jealous, cuz honestly that should be me.” Yet another person said “From world tours to world politics… that’s one powerful family headline.”
However, many were also skeptical of the post and wondered if it was indeed true. One person asked “is this true?,” and another chipped in saying “So this news is true?”.
Fact check: Katy Perry, Justin Trudeau expecting first child
Despite the social media claim there is no announcement from either Perry or Trudeau’s camps about the two expecting a child together. There are also no media reports on the same.
Thus, this appears to be unfounded social media chatter. Grok fact-checked the claims about Perry and Trudeau expecting their first child together as well, saying “No official confirmation from Katy Perry or Justin Trudeau about expecting a child. Recent tabloid reports from January 2026 suggest they’re discussing it, but it’s unverified rumor at this point.”
A report from Heat World UK in January cited insiders, saying “Katy’s ready to go all in right now with him. They’re even talking about having a child together.” The report added “Justin is very clear that he wants to build a life with her and there’s no one he’d rather be with. When Katy first started seeing Justin, everyone assumed it would just be rebound fling, but it’s much more than that. She says it feels like destiny that they met.” However, this report was not otherwise corroborated by other publications.
The viral claim about Perry and Trudeau appears to have come in the wake of this report. However, this is not the first time such a claim has been made about the couple. An October 2025 post had also claimed that the two were expecting a child together, sharing an AI-generated image of the couple.
Perry and Trudeau began dating around mid-2025 but only made their relationship official recently – hard-launching each other on their social media profiles. Reports indicate that the couple have gotten more ‘serious’ about their relationship in 2026.
After a tense live‑fire drill in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is now taking its war games to the skies and seas – and straight into America’s line of sight. A new NOTAM warned of rocket launches, drones and missile activity over southern Iran. At the same time, the U.S. has flooded the region with over 50 advanced fighter jets and a second carrier group. Watch the video for more.
News /Videos /World News / Iran expands war drills near U.S. forces with missiles, drones & naval maneuvers
Staying healthy requires conscious effort. That involves leading a healthy lifestyle, which in turn includes following a healthy diet. A balanced diet that provides the body with all the necessary macro and micronutrients is what is required for regular consumption.
It is important to be mindful of micronutrient consumption instead of focusing only on macros to stay healthy. (Unsplash)
Macronutrients are those substances that are required by the body in greater quantities. That includes protein, carbohydrates and fats. As the name suggests, micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, are required in smaller amounts, but it is essential that the body receives the amounts it needs.
Each micronutrient has its function in the complex machinery of the human body. The lack of any in the diet can result in deficiency disorders. Taking to Instagram on February 18, Dr Saurabh Sethi, California-based gastroenterologist trained in AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford Universities, listed the first symptoms of deficiency of seven important micronutrients, so that we can recognise them early and make necessary adjustments in our diet if required.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is necessary for normal vision, the immune system, reproduction, and growth and development, as per the NIH website. They are found in fish, organ meats (such as liver), dairy products, and eggs. Some fruits and vegetables are yellow, orange or red in colour because of the presence of carotenoids. The body can convert some of them to Vitamin A.
According to Dr Sethi, the first sign of Vitamin A deficiency is having difficulty with night vision.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a group of vitamins that helps in blood clotting and healing wounds. It has also been linked with healthy bones, as per the NHS website. Foods that are rich in Vitamin K are green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, vegetable oils, and cereal grains. Small amounts can also be found in meat and dairy foods.
The first sign of Vitamin K deficiency in the body is easy bruising, shared Dr Sethi.
Calcium
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and makes up much of the structure of bones and teeth. According to the NIH, calcium allows normal bodily movement by keeping tissue rigid, strong, and flexible. Dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheese are rich in calcium, while non-dairy foods such as kale, broccoli, and salmon with bones also include the micronutrient.
According to Dr Sethi, the first sign of calcium deficiency is tingling around the mouth.
Folate
Folate is a water-soluble compound also known as Vitamin B9 that helps in making DNA and genetic material, and aids in cell division. According to the NIH website, foods that are rich sources of folate include dark green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, peas, seafood, eggs, dairy products, meat, poultry, and grains.
The first symptom of folate deficiency in the regular diet is mouth ulcers, according to Dr Sethi.
Iodine
Iodine is a trace element that is naturally present in some foods and is also added to some types of salt. It is an essential component of the thyroid hormones, and therefore is a necessary part of the human diet, as per the NIH. Apart from iodised salt, other foods that provide iodine include seafood, seaweed, and eggs.
Swelling of the neck is the first sign of iodine deficiency, shared Dr Sethi.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, has several important functions within the human body, including protecting cells and keeping them healthy, maintaining healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage, and healing wounds. According to the NHS, foods rich in vitamin C are fruits and vegetables like citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries, and blackcurrants.
The first sign of vitamin C deficiency is bleeding gums, as per Dr Sethi.
Vitamin B6
Also known as pyridoxine, vitamin B6 helps the body to utilise and store energy from protein and carbohydrates in foods, and to form haemoglobin, as per the NHS. Foods rich in vitamin B6 include pork, poultry, fish, peanuts, soya beans, oats, beans, bananas and more.
According to Dr Sethi, the first sign of vitamin B6 deficiency in the human body is cracked corners of the mouth.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
