Last week, eleven people in Peach Bottom Township, located in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, were hospitalized after consuming wild mushrooms that were toxic. Among the patients were a man, a woman, and nine children who were treated and released from the hospital. The family had reportedly foraged the mushrooms and consumed them on Friday night, resulting in their illness. Due to their Amish beliefs, a family member had to walk half a mile to find a public phone to call 911 since they do not use cellphones.
Emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene after 9:30 p.m. and transported all 11 patients, leading to the situation being classified as a “mass casualty incident.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns against consuming wild mushrooms unless done by trained experts, as many poisonings and deaths in the U.S. are linked to foraging for toxic mushrooms such as the Amanita phalloides, also known as “death caps.” Consuming these mushrooms can result in severe symptoms such as abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, and liver damage, and even death in some cases. It is important for the public to be aware of the dangers associated with consuming wild mushrooms and to exercise caution when foraging for food in the outdoors.
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