Egypt investigates mass food poisoning at Al-Azhar campus in Luxor

On Friday, Egypt’s Attorney General Mohamed Shawky Ayyad called for an immediate investigation after 89 female students suffered food poisoning at a high school. Al-Azhar Universityacademician in Luxor.

The students were taken to Karnak Hospital with symptoms of vomiting, severe cramps and diarrhea after eating meals from the university campus.

Egypt Prosecutor’s Office collected student testimonies and food samples from the university campus to determine the source of the poisoning.

Al-Azhar University spokesman Ahmed Zare said in a statement that after the inspection, 60 students were discharged from the hospital and the rest were still undergoing treatment.

Zare said a weekly medical board has been formed to ensure food safety. On the orders of the vice president of Al-Azhar University in Upper Egypt, Mohamed Abdel Malek, a survey of the kitchens on the university campus was also carried out.

Students reported the incident on social media and shared their experiences.

“Help us… Girls on the university campus in Luxor are suffering from vomiting, diarrhea and severe intestinal cramps,” one student wrote on Facebook.

Another student wrote: “Many cases of food poisoning and we did not receive a quick response, and the dean himself came to check the food. Help us, we are dying.”

Egypt has a poor food safety record, with frequent cases of food poisoning and poor hygiene in many restaurants and public establishments.