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Death cap mushrooms suspected in Canberra poisoning Death cap mushrooms suspected in Canberra poisoning
(about 11 hours later)
Health authorities in Canberra are investigating a possible case of death cap mushroom poisoning after three people complained of illness from eating mushrooms they say came from a Woolworths supermarket. A patient who ate potentially lethal death cap mushrooms has been moved to a Sydney hospital for specialist care.
The health service in the Australian Capital Territory said anyone feeling ill after eating mushrooms bought from the store in the suburb of Dickson should seek immediate medical attention. Three members of the same household consumed the fungi in
The three patients from the same household went to Canberra's Calvary hospital in the past 48 hours with symptoms of poisoning, authorities said. Canberra late last week and went to the capital's Calvary Hospital for
They said the mushrooms were bought on 17 April. treatment.
"This appears to be an isolated incident and there have been no other recent reports of death cap mushroom poisoning in the ACT," said the capital territory's chief health officer, Dr Paul Kelly. One of the patients has since been moved to Sydney's Royal Prince
In a statement on Saturday, Woolworths advised customers to follow ACT Health's recommendations, including seeking immediate medical attention if they had stomach aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. Alfred Hospital, which has a specialist renal medicine and toxicology
ACT Health also recommended as a precaution throwing away any mushrooms bought from Woolworths in Dickson about that time. unit. Their condition is unknown. Death cap mushrooms can be fatal, often by causing liver failure. The other two patients are in a stable condition at ACT hospitals.
Woolworths said it was not aware of any other cases. "We take customer safety very seriously and are working closely with our supplier and ACT Health to investigate the claims," the company said. ACT Health backtracked on its earlier suggestion that the
In Canberra in 2012, a man and a woman died and two others became seriously ill but recovered after eating a meal that contained death cap mushrooms. mushrooms involved were bought from a Woolworths store in Dickson, in
One of those who died was a chef. He had prepared the meals in a Chinese bistro for them to share as a private meal, not realising they were deadly. Canberra's north.
Dr Kelly said: "People are reminded not to pick and eat any wild mushrooms. It can be extremely difficult for even experienced collectors to distinguish death cap mushrooms from other edible mushrooms." "We'd like to acknowledge the swift action taken by Woolworths in
The highly toxic death cap is native to Europe but has spread around the world, with populations found in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide. It resembles a common edible variety used in Chinese cooking. response to the initial information about the source of the mushrooms,"
said the ACT chief health officer, Dr Paul Kelly. "Investigations by ACT Policing in the last 24 hours have found
no evidence that the Death Cap mushrooms consumed by the patients were
purchased from Woolworths in Dickson.
"Our investigations are still ongoing as to the source of the
mushrooms, however this remains an isolated incident and there have been
no other recent reports of death cap mushroom poisoning in the ACT."
In Canberra in 2012, a man and a woman died and two others were
poisoned but recovered after consuming a meal which featured wild death cap mushrooms.
The highly toxic fungus is a native to Europe but has spread
around the world, with populations found in Canberra, Melbourne and
Adelaide. It resembles a common edible variety used in Chinese cooking.
• This article was amended on 27 April. It was originally alleged that the mushrooms originated at a Woolworths store. However, this theory was later disproved