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Erica Pan

Erica Pan

Director and State Public Health Officer, California Department of Public Health

Appears in 1 story

Notable Quotes

Pan warned that death cap mushrooms contain toxins that can lead to liver failure and urged Californians to avoid foraging any wild mushrooms during this high‑risk season.([cdph.ca.gov](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR25-023.aspx?utm_source=openai))

Stories

California’s deadly death cap mushroom outbreak

Rule Changes

Leads statewide response and public advisory on death cap outbreak

From mid-November 2025 through mid-January 2026, California has faced an escalating outbreak of amatoxin poisoning from foraged wild mushrooms, primarily death caps (Amanita phalloides), with the California Poison Control System (CPCS) identifying 39 hospitalized cases across Northern and Central California counties including Monterey, San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, and others. The cluster has resulted in four adult deaths, three liver transplants, and severe liver injuries affecting patients from 19 months to 67 years, including family groups, prompting repeated statewide advisories from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) urging residents to avoid all wild mushroom foraging during the rainy season.

Updated Feb 6