The Centre for Health Protection warns people not to eat wild mushrooms picked from countryside following a fatal suspected food poisoning case involving a Mainland couple who ate wild mushrooms in South Africa on December 27.

A 43-year-old woman yesterday came down with abdominal pain, diarrhoea and headache while on a flight to Hong Kong. She was sent to Queen Mary Hospital and later died of multiple organ failure. The case has been handed to the Coroner's Court for investigation.

Her 44-year-old husband had similar symptoms and is in stable condition.

People should not pick wild mushrooms for eating as it is difficult to distinguish edible species from toxic ones. Mushroom poisonings are generally acute and only supportive treatment can be administered.