ABC health expert Dr Norman Swan has issued a grovelling apology after making unevidenced claims late-Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching and cricket legend Shane Warne had died from heart attacks linked to COVID-19.
Dr Swan made the false claims speaking on ABC News Breakfast on Tuesday morning and was promptly forced to apologise several hours later in the evening.
Ms Kitching - who had been receiving treatment for a thyroid condition, which contributed to heart problems - died on March 10 at the age of 52 from a suspected heart attack, but it was never reported she contracted COVID-19 before her death.
Six days after the Labor senator's death, Shane Warne died at the same age from a suspected heart attack in Thailand but his death was never linked to the disease either.
Dr Swan referenced a joint study conducted by several British universities into the link between COVID-19 and heart issues in England and Wales to back up his claims the virus may have led to their deaths.
“It’s too much of a coincidence that Shane Warne and the Labor senator in Victoria died not long after a COVID infection,” he said on the ABC program.
“People are reporting sudden death after COVID infection. It’s not benign.”
ABC News Breakfast on Wednesday swiftly retracted Dr Swan’s assertions with an on-air correction and apology.
“We just want to mention Dr Norman Swan has issued an apology...
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