Canberrans are being warned not to touch, pick or eat any wild mushrooms as ACT Health confirms sightings of the deadly fungus around the Territory.
Acting Chief Health Officer, Dr Vanessa Johnston said the mushrooms had sprouted months early this year, most likely due to wet weather and milder summer temperatures.
“We would normally not expect to see Death Cap mushrooms in the ACT until March or April, but an early growing season is not unheard of, with sightings occurring in January this year,” Dr Johnston said.
“As the name suggests, Death Cap mushrooms can be deadly,” she said.
“All parts of the mushroom are poisonous and cooking them does not make them safe to eat.”
Dr Johnston said Death Caps could easily be mistaken for edible mushrooms and the Territory had recorded four deaths as well as a number of poisonings associated with the fungus since 2002.
The Acting Chief Health Officer warned the community not to touch the 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,” she said.
“Symptoms of poisoning generally occur six to 24 hours or more after eating mushrooms and include pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.”
Dr Johnston said people’s chances of survival increased if treatment was started early.
ACT Health’s one-page fact sheet on Death Cap mushrooms can be accessed at this PS News link.
