Another Mass Food Poisoning Hits Al-Azhar University Student

Mass Food Poisoning at Al-Azhar University Student

Over 100 students from Egypt's top Islamic university were hit by food poisoning on Monday evening, less than a month after a mass poisoning incident at the same university left more than 500 students hospitalized.

Top Azhar cleric, Ahmed al-Tayeb, has formed a committee to investigate the incident and punish those responsible for the negligence.

The number of hospitalized students reached 131 on Tuesday, the Health Ministry said, adding that preliminary investigations have shown that contaminated food was behind the events.

Forty-two students have been dismissed from the local hospitals where they were admitted after reviving treatment, while the rest still require medical attention.

Clashes between angry students and security forces broke out late on Monday where students blocked a main road in protest against the incident and forces dispersed them with teargas.

Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil said in a statement on Monday evening that he asked the health minister to visit the hospitalized students and asked the interior minister to begin an investigation immediately.

Students said that bad tuna was behind the food poisoning.