Authorities in southern Mexico say five people have died and two more were sickened after gathering wild mushrooms and eating them.
The health department in southern Chiapas state said Monday the deaths occurred in two separate incidents.
The first case killed three members of a family in the town of Huixtan, near the colonial town of San Cristobal de las Casas, last week. Another relative survived and is being treated.
Two members of another family died in the same area Sunday, and one woman survived. Families in the heavily indigenous area have traditionally gathered wild mushrooms.
Samples have been sent to laboratories to determine which species of mushroom was responsible for the deaths.
State officials have issued warnings encouraging inexperienced mushroom gatherers to get advice before eating fungi.
