Five cases have been reported in May, long after the typical season for the mushrooms behind the illnesses, leaving experts surprised. Of the 47 known cases, four people have died. Three cases were reported earlier this week, long after the typical growing season for the mushrooms behind the illnesses, leaving public health officials and mycologists puzzled about why the poisonings have been so widespread and what is causing the trend. The 3 newest cases are from a family that picked mushrooms in Napa County on Saturday. Since the outbreak began in November, cases have come in clusters, with at least 6 involving families who shared the same batch of mushrooms. Four people received liver transplants. Mushroom poisoning cases have been reported in more than 10 counties in the San Francisco Bay Area and along the California central coast. The main cause of the poisoning is an invasive death cap mushroom, Amanita phalloides. A second mushroom, the western destroying angel (Amanita ocreata), is responsible for a few cases. In an average year, about 50 cases of Amanita mushroom poisoning are reported nationwide, and California has nearly hit its own already. Five new cases have been reported this month. This year, the season is longer than usual. @ https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/california-mushroom-poisoning-outbreak-more-cases-biggest-ever-rcna345169
