Death cap mushroom advisory warns people to 'play it safe'

With death cap mushrooms sprouting up in ever increasing numbers,the B.C. Centre for Disease Control has issued an advisory warning people to avoid picking urban mushrooms altogether, and to report any sightings of the deadly fungus.

"The death cap has been sightedfrequently in Vancouver and Victoria," said Raymond Li of the B.C. Drug and Poison Control Centre.

"In order to get a handle on what's happening out there, especially for preventative efforts, we're asking the public to report sightings if they think they've found it."

The death cap is the most poisonous mushroom in the world, containingtoxins that damage the liver and kidneys. One death cap can be enough to kill anadult human.

Death caps have now been confirmed atover 100 sites on B.C.'s south coast,including on Vancouver Island, Galliano Island and in the eastern Fraser Valley. Due to low reporting,experts believe they are likely growing in many more locations.

Of 29mushroom exposure calls received by the Drug and Poison Control Centre since Sept. 1, Li said none have been related to death caps.

"Lots of kids finding mushrooms and munching on them, and at least three cases of adults who have gone foraging and gotten sick, but none from the death cap," he said, noting that cases involving intentionally ingestedhallucinogenic "magic" mushrooms were excluded from the mushroom exposure number.

In 2016,a three--year-old Victoria boy died after eating a death cap that had been picked by his parentsin the downtown area of the city.

To spread the wordthe B.C.Centre for Disease Control has released aninformation brochurewith photos and information about how to identify death caps and report sightings.

Its also put out a longer document aimed at municipalities and parks staff.

Death caps are responsible for 95 per cent of all mushroom deaths. Threein 10 people who get sick from eating a death capwill die and those who survive often need a liver transplant.

Death caps resemble the edible Asian paddy straw mushroom, which does not grow in B.C.Immature death caps have been also been mistaken for edible puff ball mushrooms.

This past summer,Island Health issued a warning after death caps started appearing in a couple of Victoria-area neighbourhoods. Usually wild mushrooms flourish during spring and fall rains, but it is believedlawn watering may have triggered the fruiting.

The death cap is not native to B.C. and is believed to have been introduced decades ago on the roots of imported European trees.

The mushroom is not poisonous to the touch.