One child has died, and two others are critically ill after consuming poisonous wild mushrooms in Chitwan, local officials said.

The incident occurred in Kulbang village in ward 1 of Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality on Friday. The children reportedly became sick after eating mushrooms brought from a nearby forest.

Ward chair Santa Bahadur Magar said the two surviving children are undergoing treatment at Bharatpur Hospital and are in critical condition. They developed symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea after consuming the mushrooms.

Lok Bahadur Magar, principal of Rashtriya Secondary School in Hattibang, said Namuna Chepang, a Grade 2 student at the school, died during treatment.

Manita Chepang, a Grade 5 student, and Sajan Chepang, a Grade 3 student, are receiving treatment in the emergency ward of Bharatpur Hospital.

“The family reportedly cooked and ate the mushrooms on Tuesday evening,” the principal said, adding that the children’s parents, Shyam Bahadur and Padma Maya, who also consumed the mushrooms, are in normal condition.

Dr Pramod Paudel of Bharatpur Hospital said poisonous compounds such as amanita toxins found in some wild mushrooms can severely damage the liver and cause life-threatening complications.

Despite numerous deaths caused by poisonous wild mushrooms every year, neither the government nor other agencies appear to be taking the issue seriously. Experts estimate that more than three dozen people die from wild mushroom poisoning annually in Nepal, while hundreds fall ill.

Authorities also lack accurate data on deaths and illnesses linked to poisonous mushrooms. The issue has not been included in the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2017.

Experts say poverty and food insecurity are major reasons why people continue consuming wild mushrooms despite the risks.

Studies show Nepal has 1,291 species of wild mushrooms, more than 100 of which are poisonous. Health officials say poor and marginalised communities are particularly vulnerable.

They say awareness campaigns could help reduce poisoning cases, stressing the need to address the underlying causes that force people to rely on wild mushrooms for food.

Studies also show mushrooms can absorb harmful substances such as mercury and lead from contaminated soil, making even previously edible species dangerous.

Victims of mushroom poisoning can suffer abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, hallucinations, kidney failure and liver damage. In severe cases, poisoning can be fatal.

Doctors advise people not to wait for symptoms to subside at home after eating mushrooms. They warn that delayed treatment significantly increases the risk of death.