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Man who believed virus was hoax loses wife to Covid-19 [View all]
Source: BBC
Man who believed virus was hoax loses wife to Covid-19
By Marianna Spring
Specialist disinformation reporter, BBC News
24 August 2020
A Florida taxi driver, who believed false claims that coronavirus was a hoax, has lost his wife to Covid-19.
Brian Lee Hitchens and his wife, Erin, had read claims online that the virus was fabricated, linked to 5G or similar to the flu.
The couple didn't follow health guidance or seek help when they fell ill in early May. Brian recovered but his 46-year-old wife became critically ill and died this month from heart problems linked to the virus.
Brian spoke to the BBC in July as part of an investigation into the human cost of coronavirus misinformation. At the time, his wife was on a ventilator in hospital.
-snip-
Her husband explained that the couple did not follow health guidance at the start of the pandemic because of the false claims they had seen online.
-snip-
By Marianna Spring
Specialist disinformation reporter, BBC News
24 August 2020
A Florida taxi driver, who believed false claims that coronavirus was a hoax, has lost his wife to Covid-19.
Brian Lee Hitchens and his wife, Erin, had read claims online that the virus was fabricated, linked to 5G or similar to the flu.
The couple didn't follow health guidance or seek help when they fell ill in early May. Brian recovered but his 46-year-old wife became critically ill and died this month from heart problems linked to the virus.
Brian spoke to the BBC in July as part of an investigation into the human cost of coronavirus misinformation. At the time, his wife was on a ventilator in hospital.
-snip-
Her husband explained that the couple did not follow health guidance at the start of the pandemic because of the false claims they had seen online.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53892856
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Read more: Coronavirus: The human cost of virus misinformation (BBC)
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