Health expert grilled by fans for claiming Shane Warne’s death was linked to Covid-19

ABC’s health expert Dr Norman Swan has apologised for linking Shane Warne’s death to Covid-19.

The cricket legend passed away on March 4 in Thailand after suffering a heart attack.

Warne had tested positive a few weeks earlier and had been experiencing mild Covid symptoms.

Dr Swan told ABC News that it was ‘too much of a coincidence’ that Warne passed away after having Covid.

He said: “It’s too much of a coincidence that Shane Warne and the Labor Senator in Victoria died not long after a Covid infection, and people are reporting sudden death after Covid infection. It’s not benign.”

Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching also passed away almost a week later on March 10 from a suspected heart attack.

However, her family later revealed that Katching had never tested positive for Covid-19 prior to her death.

He later told Daily Mail Australia that Warne had ‘lots of risk factors for heart disease, but if he was going to get a bit of extra inflammation from Covid, that could have tipped him over the edge’.

Dr Swan was slammed online for linking the pair of high-profile deaths to the disease.

2GB host Ben Fordham accused Dr Swan of ‘speculating like a gossipd columnist’.

He said: “There’s an unwritten rule for medicos who work in the medical space: Don’t go speculating on cases you know nothing about and that’s exactly what he did yesterday on Shane Warne.”

Cricket fans and others online also grilled the doctor.

One wrote: “Norman Swan has grifted, and recklessly stirred fear, throughout the entire pandemic without being pulled up by the ABC. Enough is enough.”

Another said: “Why does the ABC still give this absolute nut case a national platform to spew his bats**t claims?”

A third added: “Somebody please tell me I’m dreaming.

“Literally minutes ago, the ABCTV Dr Norman Swan has linked Shane Warne’s death to Covid-19. I am totally gobsmacked.”

Dr Swan was forced to issue an apology following the backlash.

He told news.com.au: “I’ve personally apologised to Andrew her husband.

“I’ve clearly made an error which I deeply regret. I do recall such reports and have checked with others who did too but that doesn’t excuse my having upset the family.”

SPORTbible has reached out to Norman Swan for comment.