Canberrans are being reminded to avoid eating wild mushrooms after several hospital presentations in the past week.
Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerryn Coleman said three people had presented to ACT emergency departments last week after ingesting wild mushrooms.
“We cannot confirm at this stage whether these individuals have ingested death cap mushrooms, but our public health team is currently investigating these incidents,” Dr Coleman said.
“While this is not the normal time of year for death cap mushroom growth in the ACT, which normally peaks around autumn, this is a timely reminder that wild mushrooms can grow anywhere, anytime,” she said.
“While ACT Health has not had any recent reports of death cap mushroom sightings in the ACT, we are aware that some have been reported in other parts of our region, such as Yass.”
Dr Coleman said as a precautionary measure, inspections were being conducted across the Territory where death cap mushroom had previously been identified.
The Chief Health Officer said Canberrans should be aware that it was never safe to pick and eat wild mushrooms.
“As the name suggests, death cap mushrooms can be deadly and all parts of the mushroom are poisonous whether they have been cooked or not,” she said.
“Eating wild mushrooms is just not worth the risk.
“Don’t eat mushrooms you have found in the wild and only purchase mushrooms from a reputable supplier.”
Dr Coleman said death cap mushrooms were known to grow in the ACT and were easily mistaken for edible mushrooms.
She advised people not to touch wild mushrooms with bare hands and to keep children and animals away from them.
“If you think you may have eaten a death cap mushroom, urgently seek medical attention at a hospital emergency department and take any remaining mushroom to the hospital for identification taking precautions to reduce physical contact with the item,” she said.
“The chances of survival increase where treatment is started early.”
Dr Coleman said symptoms of poisoning generally occurred six to 24 hours or more after eating mushrooms and included pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
ACT Health’s one-page fact sheet on death cap mushrooms can be accessed at this PS News link.
