Spinach poisoning sparks health scare in Australia, people suffer sickness, hallucinations

An urgent health alert has been sparked by toxic spinach in Australia after severe hallucinations and sickness were reported by people who consumed it.
Medical care was given to nine people who consumed the Riviera Farms baby spinach from Costco shopping mall.

According to the health authorities, the patients also had symptoms of blurred vision, delirium and spiked heart rates. Riviera Farms said that a weed has most probably contaminated the spinach, however, it has not affected any other products.

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New South Wales Health has issued a warning that the brand’s packaged spinach which has an expiry date of December 16 should not be consumed. Meanwhile, people who have consumed spinach and are suffering from unusual symptoms have been urged to seek immediate hospital care.

While speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, the state's Poisons Information Centre’s Dr Darren Roberts said, "No one has died, so we're very happy with that and we hope it remains that way, but these people are quite sick... to the point of marked hallucinations, where they are seeing things that aren't there.”   

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Riviera Farms said that immediate action has been taken and shops have been asked to remove their packages from shelves. "There is no suggestion, and to our knowledge no possibility, that any other products have been impacted by this weed," the spokesperson said.

NSW Health said that those who have been affected by the toxic spinach are from Sydney, however, authorities have been asked to stay alert in other states, as the investigation carries on.