San Francisco Department of Public Health Urges the Public Not to Pick or Eat Wild Mushrooms

SAN FRANCISCO – Since November 2025, there has been an outbreak of severe  illness and deaths in California associated with people picking and eating wild poisonous mushrooms, —specifically, Death Cap and Western Destroying Angel mushrooms—that they mistakenly believed were edible.

SFDPH urges the public to not pick or eat wild mushrooms during this period of increased risk and avoid eating wild mushrooms picked by friends or family. We also urge the public to closely monitor children and pets in areas where wild mushrooms can grow such as parks.

These poisonous mushrooms can easily be mistaken for safe, edible mushrooms due to their similar appearance and taste, but consuming them can lead to severe poisoning. Cooking, boiling, drying, or freezing these poisonous mushrooms does not make them safe to eat.

The consequences of eating poisonous mushrooms can be severe. Between November 18, 2025, and February 9, 2026, 40 cases of mushroom poisoning were reported in California, resulting in four deaths and at least three liver transplants.

Symptoms of these mushroom poisonings can begin six to 24 hours after consumption. Common symptoms include vomiting, severe abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Symptoms can progress to liver damage and death.

If you or someone you know may have eaten a poisonous mushroom, seek medical care immediately or contact the California Poison Control Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

To increase awareness, the California Department of Public Health has developed informational flyers, posters and other resources for public use. These resources are available in multiple languages and can be found here.