The Ministry of Public Health warned, in an awareness statement today, of “the serious health risks resulting from eating wild mushrooms of unknown type or source, after recording two cases of poisoning, one of which required admission to intensive care, as a result of eating wild mushrooms collected from nature and cooked at home.” The Ministry explained that "some types of poisonous mushrooms are similar in shape and color to edible types, which makes distinguishing between them with the naked eye extremely difficult, even for people accustomed to collecting mushrooms." She stressed that "cooking mushrooms does not remove the toxic substances contained in them, stressing that eating them may lead to severe poisoning, damage to the liver or kidneys, and may lead to death in some cases." The Ministry called on people to refrain from collecting wild mushrooms, and to buy mushrooms from reliable, controlled sources, warning against relying on shape, color, or smell to determine their suitability for food. She also stressed the need to go to the nearest hospital when eating wild mushrooms, as symptoms may last up to 24 hours and may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, and disturbances of consciousness. She stressed that "prevention remains the most important means of avoiding these cases."