RAKUS recalls that the death cap is the most poisonous fungus, not only in Latvia but also in the world. “The mushroomers had obviously got them mixed up with some edible mushrooms,” the hospital statement says.
"There are a lot of mushrooms this year, so the risks, as our hospital experience shows, are particularly high. On our part, we call on every mushroomer to assess the potential damage to their health and even life, to look carefully at the mushrooms in the basket, and to leave any suspicious fungus in the forest for their own safety."
Consuming the death cap causes damage to the liver and, in the absence of medical treatment, there is a high chance of dying or becoming disabled for a lifetime.
Anesthesiologist-reanimatologist Roberts Stašinskis recalled that signs of poisoning may also occur several days after the consumption of mushrooms. If poisoning has affected the digestive system, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea will occur.
In cases where any kind of poisoning is suspected, the public is invited to consult the poison control and information center by phone 67042473.
