The ACT Health Directorate has issued a warning to Canberrans not to eat or pick any wild mushrooms following the early sprouting of death cap mushrooms.
Acting Deputy Chief Health Officer, Miranda Harris said the mushrooms were likely sprouting earlier than usual this year due to wet weather and milder summer temperatures.
“We [would not] normally expect to see death cap mushrooms in the ACT until March or April, but an early growing season is not unheard of,” Dr Harris said.
“As the name suggests, death cap mushrooms can be deadly,” she said.
“All parts of the mushroom are poisonous whether they have been cooked or not.”
Dr Harris said death cap mushrooms were known to grow in areas across the Territory and while they often grew near established oak trees, they could also be found where no oak trees were evident.
She warned people not to touch wild mushrooms with bare hands and to keep children and animals away from them.
“Death caps are easily mistaken for edible mushrooms,” she said.
“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.”
Dr Harris said symptoms of poisoning generally occurred six to 24 hours or more after eating mushrooms, and included pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
“The chances of survival increase where treatment is started early,” she said.
“Eating wild mushrooms is just not worth the risk.”
Dr Harris said anyone who saw wild mushrooms in a public area could report it to Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
Further information about the death cap mushroom can be accessed on the ACT Health Directorate’s website at this PS News link.
