Lone survivor of suspected death cap mushroom poisoning released from Australian hospital
A 22-year-old man has been released from an Australian hospital after surviving a suspected death cap mushroom poisoning. The man, who has not been identified, was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney on December 23 after eating what was believed to be a death cap mushroom.
The death cap mushroom is one of the most common causes of mushroom poisoning in Australia and is responsible for the majority of fatalities.
The young man is believed to be the only survivor of the group that consumed the mushrooms and is now reportedly in good health following the incident.
Hospital staff say the man has been called a “medical miracle”, given the severity of his condition when he arrived at hospital. Dr. Jordan Anderson, the man’s treating doctor, said in a statement to the media, “He arrived with moderate to severe symptoms of mushroom poisoning and was unable to speak. We immediately treated him with a combination of intravenous fluid resuscitation, anti-viral medications and supportive care.”
He is now on the mend and his recovery has been described as “remarkable” by the hospital team.
Although the man has survived the poisoning, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is warning people not to pick their own mushrooms as it is difficult for people to differentiate between safe and dangerous ones.