Saturday 14/February/2026 – 04:31 AM
The US state of California recorded an unprecedented wave of poisoning cases with toxic mushrooms, resulting in 4 deaths and 40 hospitalizations during the period from late November 2025 until early February 2026, according to press reports and local health data, according to the New York Post.
Mass deaths and injuries due to a poisonous mushroom in California… urgent warnings against collecting wild mushrooms
The authorities attributed the increase in infections to the spread of a highly toxic fungus known as the death cap, after a wet winter that contributed to the widespread growth of wild fungi. This type of mushroom is considered one of the most dangerous types of mushrooms in the world, as eating small quantities of it may lead to severe liver failure and possibly death.
The infected cases included people between the ages of 19 months and 67 years, while some patients underwent liver transplants due to serious complications resulting from the toxins.
Health authorities issued urgent warnings against collecting or eating wild mushrooms without specialized expertise, stressing that some poisonous species may resemble edible mushrooms in appearance, which increases the risk of fatal mistakes.
