Consumption of poisonous wild fungi in the Iranian provinces of Kermanshah, Kordestan, Lorestan, Zanjan, West Azerbaijan, Kohgiluye and Boyer-Ahmad, and Qazvin has poisoned 682 people and killed 8, Iran newspaper reported on Saturday, quoting spokesman for Iran's Emergency Services Mojtaba Khaledi as saying.

People were sickened after eating the wild mushrooms that grow in mountainous areas following spring showers, he added, noting that around 50 victims are in critical conditions, some of whom are on the waiting list for liver transplantation.

The appearance of the poisonous mushrooms is so similar to the edible ones that even the local residents could not notice a distinction, the medical official explained, saying the Health Ministry is conducting laboratory tests on 7 strains of those toxic plants.