26 January 2016
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (January 26) investigating a suspected case of food poisoning related to the consumption of wild mushrooms, and urged the public not to collect and eat wild mushrooms from parks or the countryside.
The case involves a 53-year-old man who developed gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea about 12 hours after consuming mushrooms at home yesterday (January 25). He was admitted to Yan Chai Hospital today and was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. He is now in stable condition.
Initial investigations revealed that the patient had consumed wild mushrooms picked from the roadside at Tai Mo Shan. The CHP's investigation is ongoing.
"Members of the public should not pick wild mushrooms for consumption as it is difficult to distinguish edible mushroom species from inedible ones," a spokesman for the CHP said.