107 Suffer Food Poisoning After Tuna Meal At Egypt’s Azhar University Dorm

Clashes erupt with security forces as students block road protesting new food poisoning case at Azhar University dorm; 107 cases confirmed; Tuna fish meal suspected cause.

The ministry of health said that the number of victims, who suffered food poisoning after a bad Monday night meal at the Azhar University dorm, has risen to 107.

Meanwhile, dozens of angry students, who blocked The Nasr Road off the dormitory in east Cairo, clashed with police who fired teargas in an attempt to open the road to traffic.

The students fell sick after eating meals served at the university’s campus dormitory in the Nasr City district of the capital, according to Abdel-Ghani Hindi, the coordinator of the Popular Movement for an Independent Azhar.

The meals contained Tuna fish and vegetables, according to a student who spoke to Ahram Arabic news website.

This marks the second large scale food poisoning case to take place on Azhar campus dormitories during the month of April.

Around 500 students at Al-Azhar were hospitalized on 1 April after suffering food poisoning at the dorm’s cafeteria.

That incident led to mass demonstrations by students, some of whom called for the sacking of the Grand Imam, Ahmed Tayeb, who oversees the Azhar religious-educational system in Egypt.

However, the Grand Imam sacked the president of Al-Azhar University and an investigation into the case is still pending.

Some protesters are chanting against the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, according to Al-Jazeera TV.

Prime Minister Hisham Kandil has ordered a new investigation.

Ahram Online