Health authorities in Victoria, Australia’s second-most populous state, have issued a public warning about the dangers of wild poisonous mushrooms.

On Tuesday, the Department of Health urged the state’s seven million residents to stay alert, as toxic mushrooms like the death cap and yellow-staining varieties became more prevalent during the cooler, wetter autumn and winter months.

Chief health officer Christian McGrath emphasised the importance of removing any wild mushrooms growing in home gardens to prevent children and pets from coming into contact with them.

“Adults and children should not touch wild mushrooms with their bare hands, let alone eat them, and animals should be kept well away from them,” he said.

Mr McGrath warned that foraging for wild mushrooms without proper expertise posed serious health risks, including poisoning, severe illness, and even death.

“Unless you are an expert, do not pick and eat wild mushrooms,” he said.

The department noted that early symptoms of mushroom poisoning could include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

(Xinhua/NAN)