A 53-year-old woman developed abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting about 15 minutes after eating mushrooms at home on Saturday (Aug 13). She went to the Accident and Emergency Department of Kwong Wah Hospital on the same day and was admitted to the hospital for further care. She has been in a stable condition.

Initial investigations revealed that the patient had consumed wild mushrooms picked from a hillside near Beacon Hill.

"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, "Death may result in severe cases."

He added that mushroom poisoning is generally acute. Common presentations include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain appearing shortly after ingestion. Depending on the mushroom species, patients may also have other symptoms such as profuse sweating, hallucinations, coma or other neurological symptoms, as well as liver failure.