Acting Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerryn Coleman has issued a warning that death cap mushrooms have been spotted in Canberra and should not be picked or eaten.
Dr Coleman said this was the first-time the death cap mushrooms had been sighted this year, signalling the start of the season as the Territory moved into cooler weather.
“Death cap mushrooms can be lethal if ingested,” Dr Coleman said.
“It is crucial for people to understand that all parts of the mushroom are poisonous and cooking them does not make them safe to eat.”
She said the deadly mushrooms often grew near established oak trees and could be found when there was wet weather.
She warned the community not to touch the mushrooms with bare hands and to keep children and animals away from them.
“If you think you have eaten a death cap mushroom, seek urgent medical attention at a hospital emergency department and take any remaining mushrooms to the hospital for identification,” Dr Coleman said.
“Symptoms of poisoning generally occur six-to-24 hours or more after eating mushrooms, and include pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea,” she said.
“The sooner treatment begins, the better the chances of survival.”
There have been four fatalities and a number of poisonings associated with Death Cap mushrooms in the ACT since 2002.
