Overview
- The ongoing outbreak spans cases reported from Nov. 18 to early January, with patients ranging from 19 months to 67 years old.
- Illnesses have been treated across nine counties from Sonoma to San Luis Obispo, with many cases in the Monterey and San Francisco Bay Area.
- Some mushrooms were collected on public and private lands, including sites such as Pinnacles National Park, Castroville, Salinas, and Santa Cruz.
- Health officials warn that symptoms often start 6–24 hours after ingestion, amatoxins are not neutralized by cooking or freezing, and even one bite can cause severe liver injury.
- Experts describe this as likely the largest such outbreak in California history, far exceeding the fewer than five cases typically reported statewide each year.