Spike in mushroom poisoning calls across B.C.
Mornings with Simi
English - October 28, 2019 19:40 - 9 minutes - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingBusiness News News Society & Culture Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
The BC Centre for Disease Control says 2019 is on track to be a record year for mushroom poisoning calls across the province.
As of the end of September, there have been 201 such calls, compared to 202 in all of 2018 and 161 in all of 2017. Poison Control pharmacist Raymond Li says about two-thirds of those calls involve children under the age of five.
Fortunately, there hasn't been a fatal case involving a child since 2016. Li says they are reminding mushroom hunters, parents, and pet owners to be vigilant, and his message is simple, "If you are unsure, don't eat it!”
Death cap mushrooms are particularly dangerous because of their resemblance to edible varieties of mushrooms. They can be mistaken for edible puffballs when young or the Asian Straw mushroom when older.
They have been popping up increasingly in parts of BC, including Victoria, Southern Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Metro Vancouver, and the Fraser Valley.
Guest: Ray Li
Pharmacist with the BC Centre for Disease Control’s Poison Centre
The BC Centre for Disease Control says 2019 is on track to be a record year for mushroom poisoning calls across the province.
As of the end of September, there have been 201 such calls, compared to 202 in all of 2018 and 161 in all of 2017. Poison Control pharmacist Raymond Li says about two-thirds of those calls involve children under the age of five.
Fortunately, there hasn't been a fatal case involving a child since 2016. Li says they are reminding mushroom hunters, parents, and pet owners to be vigilant, and his message is simple, "If you are unsure, don't eat it!”
Death cap mushrooms are particularly dangerous because of their resemblance to edible varieties of mushrooms. They can be mistaken for edible puffballs when young or the Asian Straw mushroom when older.
They have been popping up increasingly in parts of BC, including Victoria, Southern Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Metro Vancouver, and the Fraser Valley.
Guest: Ray Li
Pharmacist with the BC Centre for Disease Control’s Poison Centre