Picking strange mushrooms to cook soup, 7 people in Lao Cai were poisoned

The Lao Cai Province Food Safety Department has sent two samples of strange mushrooms for testing to identify and determine toxins, after two cases of mushroom poisoning occurred, causing seven people to be hospitalized.

On May 26, the Lao Cai Province Food Safety and Hygiene Department said that it had sent mushroom samples collected in two mushroom poisoning incidents in Bao Yen and Van Ban districts to the National Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene Control to determine the identity and toxic components of each type of mushroom.

Mushroom sample that poisoned 4 members of Mrs. L's family in Bao Yen district, Lao Cai province

THANH HUYEN

Previously, on May 16, the family of Ms. Ly Thi L., in Dao village, Thuong Ha commune (Bao Yen district) went to the cinnamon hill to pick mushrooms to cook soup. After eating the mushroom soup for about 30 minutes, 4 people in Ms. L.'s family had symptoms of headaches, dizziness, vertigo, digestive disorders... After that, 4 people were taken to a medical facility for emergency treatment.

Upon receiving information about the mushroom poisoning, the Lao Cai Province Food Safety and Hygiene Department coordinated with relevant agencies to conduct an investigation and determined that the culprit was a mushroom about 7-8 cm tall, with a cap diameter of about 2-3 cm. The mushroom is slightly grayish brown in color, grows individually, not in clumps, and has a sweet, chewy taste when eaten, with no stem sheath at the stem.

On the morning of May 23, Mr. Vuong Van H.'s family, residing in Sung 2 village, Khanh Yen Ha commune (Van Ban district), picked mushrooms from the garden to cook soup for lunch. There were 5 people at lunch, 2 of whom did not eat the mushroom soup.

After eating mushroom soup for about 30 minutes, 3 people showed signs of dizziness and severe headaches and were taken to Van Ban District General Hospital for emergency treatment by their families. After that, 2 people with severe poisoning symptoms were transferred to Lao Cai Provincial General Hospital for further emergency treatment.

For the two severely poisoned patients, doctors at Lao Cai General Hospital had to contact and coordinate with doctors at the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital to come up with a treatment plan for the patients. Up to now, the health of the two patients is gradually recovering.

According to the Lao Cai Province Food Safety Department, the mushroom that caused the poisoning at Mr. H's family was quite large, about 13 cm high, with a cap diameter of about 10 - 12 cm, white, with a wide, slightly curved blade. In these two mushroom poisoning cases, the authorities sent mushroom samples provided by the patient's family for testing.

Mushroom samples causing poisoning in Van Ban District, in which 2 people had severe symptoms and had to be transferred to a higher level hospital for treatment.

THANH HUYEN

Lao Cai Province Food Safety Department warns that the current hot and humid season is very favorable for the growth of mushrooms. To prevent similar mushroom poisoning incidents, people should not arbitrarily pick mushrooms of unknown toxicity to prepare food.

People can recognize poisonous mushrooms by their characteristics. Mushrooms usually have complete gills, caps, stems, stem rings, and basal sheaths. The poisonous mushroom stem is light pink inside, the mushroom cap is colorful, the mycelium glows at night; the poisonous part is located in the entire mushroom fruit body...

In addition, when eating mushrooms, if there are signs of poisoning, first aid should be given to induce vomiting immediately and the patient should be taken to the nearest medical facility for timely emergency care.

Poisoning from eating wild mushrooms occurs almost every year in Lao Cai. Previously, in November 2023, a family in San II village, Hoang Lien commune (Sa Pa town) went to the cardamom field to pick mushrooms for dinner. After finishing the meal, all 7 people in the family suffered severe poisoning and were given timely emergency care.

After testing, the Lao Cai Provincial Department of Health announced that the mushroom causing the poisoning was a type of ghost mushroom or ghost poisonous mushroom, commonly found in the northern mountainous provinces. This mushroom is also the "culprit" that has caused many poisoning cases in the provinces of Bac Kan , Son La...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hai-nam-la-ve-nau-canh-7-nguoi-o-lao-cai-bi-ngo-doc-18524052617272346.htm