Vancouver Coastal Health is warning the public about deadly mushrooms in Vancouver that have been spotted around the city.
These Death Cap Mushrooms can cause liver and kidney damage, and even death, if eaten.
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A toxic death cap mushroom has been seen in Vancouver. Eating them may lead to liver & kidney damage or death. Please watch out for them. Photo credit: Adolf Ceska. https://t.co/OyPX0nie8B pic.twitter.com/8235A35muE
— Vancouver Coastal Health (@VCHhealthcare) July 4, 2019
“Death cap mushrooms are extremely poisonous” reads the BC Centre for Disease Control.
As a matter of fact, in October 2016, a child died after eating a mushroom that was picked in downtown Victoria.
The Death Cap Mushroom is found in city environments associated with many species of imported trees. Health officials as of right now know that this mushroom grows on Vancouver Island and in the Lower Mainland.
“It looks like the Asian straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea), and other common Asian varieties of edible Amanita species, such as Amanita princeps”, reads BC Centre for Disease Control’s website.
The symptoms of death cap mushroom poisoning include:
- Low blood pressure
- Nausea
- Vomiting (which begins 8 to 12 hours after ingestion).
Equally important, after up to 24 hours have passed, the symptoms seem to disappear and you might feel fine for up to 72 hours. However, the symptoms of liver and kidney damage start 3 to 6 days after the mushrooms were first digested.
If you suspect you’ve eaten one of these mushrooms, you need to head to the emergency room immediately. To help the doctors who attend to you, bring specimens of the mushroom and information about where you found them.
For more information about these deadly mushrooms in Vancouver, click here.
