The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 12) investigating a suspected case of food poisoning related to the consumption of wild mushrooms, and urged the public not to pick and eat wild mushrooms.
The three patients, a man and two women aged 37 to 58, developed symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting about two to three hours after consuming mushrooms at home yesterday (June 11). They attended the Accident and Emergency Department of United Christian Hospital on the same day and did not require hospitalisation. They are in stable condition.
Initial investigations revealed that the patients had consumed wild mushrooms picked from the roadside near Laguna Park in Kwun Tong yesterday. The CHP's investigation is ongoing.
"Members of the public should not pick wild mushrooms for consumption as it is difficult to distinguish edible mushroom species from inedible ones," a spokesman for the CHP said.
"Mushroom poisoning is generally acute. Common presentations include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain appearing shortly after ingestion. Depending on the mushroom species, patients may also have other symptoms like profuse sweating, hallucination, coma or other neurological symptoms, as well as liver failure. Death may result in severe cases," he added.
"If mushroom poisoning is suspected, the patient should seek immediate medical attention and bring along any available remnant for identification," the spokesman said.
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