Forty-eight people have been killed by poisonous mushrooms so far this year in southwest China's Yunnan Province, home to about 63 percent of China's edible wild fungus resources.

A report by the provincial health bureau said that by early July this year, there had been 33 cases of poisoning among local residents, mostly rural people, due to eating wild mushrooms. The cases involved 183 people, including the 48 who died.

According to the report, most of the deaths occurred in Lincang City and Zhuang-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Wenshan in the province.

Residents usually pick wild mushrooms between May and October, a rainy season in Yunnan and a growth period for wild fungus.

Poisoning due to consumption of wild fungus has been quite common in this plateau region.

Local health departments have advised the public to improve their awareness of self protection and not to pick up unknown or rotten wild fungus for food. 

(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2005)