I have completely uninstalled the game and deleted all related files. I am reinstalling the game now and will let you know if that does any better.
This has been happening since the servers came up today, does not matter what time
Characters have died while eating red berries even. A box of cereal and two handfuls of berries got me from three valleys on the coast almost all the way to Msta before I passed out from starvation (I was 200 meters SW from the town at the foot of the ladder up the deer blind).
FYI my time is HST, exactly -12hours your local time in the CZR.