Death Cap Mushrooms Spread in California After Rains, Killing 4

Experts warn against foraging for wild mushrooms as death cap poisonings surge

Feb. 6, 2026 at 7:23pm

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Four people have died and three others have required liver transplants after eating the deadly death cap mushroom, which is proliferating in California following a rainy winter. The California Department of Public Health is urging people to avoid mushroom foraging altogether this year due to the risk of mistaking the toxic death cap for safe, edible varieties.

Why it matters

The death cap mushroom outbreak highlights the dangers of foraging for wild mushrooms, which can be easily confused with safe edible varieties. This is especially concerning as the death cap spreads in California, where many Spanish, Mixteco, and Mandarin Chinese speakers have been affected, requiring expanded public health warnings in multiple languages.

The details

Since November 18, there have been more than three dozen cases of mushroom poisonings reported in California, including the four deaths and three liver transplants. Many who sought medical attention suffered from rapidly evolving acute liver injury and liver failure, requiring intensive care. The victims have ranged in age from 19 months to 67 years old.

  • Since November 18, 2025, there have been more than three dozen cases of mushroom poisonings reported.

The players

California Department of Public Health

The state agency that is urging people to avoid mushroom foraging altogether this year due to the risk of death cap mushroom poisonings.

Laura Marcelino

A 36-year-old California resident who gathered mushrooms that looked like ones she used to forage in her native Oaxaca, Mexico, leading to her and her husband becoming ill and her husband requiring a liver transplant.

U.S. Poison Centers

Handled 2,315 mushroom exposures from September 2025 through January 2026, a 40% increase compared to the same period the previous year.

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What’s next

The California Department of Public Health is expanding warnings about the death cap mushroom outbreak in multiple languages to reach affected communities.

The takeaway

This death cap mushroom outbreak underscores the importance of avoiding foraging for wild mushrooms, which can be extremely dangerous if the toxic varieties are mistaken for safe, edible ones. Public health officials are urging extreme caution to prevent further tragedies.