ACT Health is reissuing a warning to all Canberrans and ACT visitors not to touch, pick or eat wild mushrooms as large numbers of death cap mushrooms have been found in the Territory in recent days.
ACT Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerryn Coleman warned that death cap mushrooms were now being spotted in increasing numbers in the ACT, most likely due to the unusually wet and cool summer weather.
“Death cap mushrooms can easily be mistaken for edible mushrooms, but they can be deadly,” Dr Coleman said.
“All parts of the mushroom are poisonous and cooking them does not make them safe to eat,” she said.
Dr Coleman said while death cap mushrooms often grew near established oak trees, they could also be found where no oak trees were evident.
The Chief Health Officer reminded the community not to touch the wild mushrooms with bare hands and to keep children and animals away from them.
“If someone 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.
“The chances of survival increase if treatment is started early.”
Dr Coleman said the Territory had recorded four deaths and a number of poisonings associated with death cap mushrooms since 2002.
Further information on death cap mushrooms can be accessed at this PS News link.
