Dr Norman Swan forced to apologise for Covid claim

Health expert Norman Swan has apologised for claims about Covid-19 and heart attacks involving Shane Warne and a late senator.

ABC health expert Norman Swan has been forced to apologise after claims about Covid-19 and the deaths of cricket icon Shane Warne and Labor senator Kimberley Kitching.

Dr Swan claimed without evidence that the two had died from heart attacks that were linked to Covid-19.

Dr Norman Swan has apologised to the widower of Senator Kitching for his comments.

“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 ABC News Breakfast on Tuesday morning

“People are reporting sudden death after Covid infection. It’s not benign.”

Senator Kitching died of a suspected heart attack on March 10 and had been receiving treatment for a thyroid condition that’s believed to be linked to her death.

Shane Warne’s shock death from a suspected heart attack rocked the nation. Picture: Robert Prezioso/Getty Images

Senator Kimberley Kitching’s death has never been linked to Covid-19.

Whether Senator Kitching had contracted Covid-19 had not been reported before her death, and the heart attack she suffered has not been linked to the virus.

Warne’s death from a suspected heart attack, six days after Senator Kitching’s, has also not been linked to Covid-19.

ABC News Breakfast issued an on-air correction and apology over Dr Swan’s claims.

“We just want to mention Dr Norman Swan has issued an apology after suggesting there may be a Covid link to the deaths of Labor senator Kimberley Kitching and cricket great Shane Warne,” an ABC host said.

“He made those comments during his interview on our program yesterday.”

Dr Swan told the Nine newspapers that he had spoken to Senator Kitching’s widower Andrew Landeryou and apologised however stood by his claims about Warne.

“If (Warne) was going to get a bit of extra inflammation from Covid, that could’ve tipped him over the edge,” he said.

Originally published as Dr Norman Swan forced to apologise for Covid claim