Overview
- Between Nov. 18 and Jan. 6, the California Poison Control System recorded 35 hospitalized cases across Northern California and the Central Coast, with patients ranging from 19 months to 67 years old.
- Three people required liver transplants and three adults died, with most cases concentrated in the Monterey and San Francisco Bay areas.
- Officials say this is likely the largest death cap–related outbreak California has seen, tied to foraged Amanita phalloides mistaken for edible mushrooms.
- Symptoms often begin 6–24 hours after ingestion, the toxins are not neutralized by cooking, freezing, or drying, and severe liver damage can develop within 48–96 hours.
- Health agencies urge residents to avoid wild mushrooms, keep children and pets away, and call the California Poison Control System at 1-800-222-1222 without waiting for symptoms; one patient remains hospitalized with significant liver injury.