Al-Azhar University in Cairo battles another food poisoning outbreak
For the second time in a month, Cairo-based al- Azhar University is dealing with a large food poisoning outbreak among students, according to a Xinhua report today.
Ministry of Health spokesman, Yahia Moussa told Xinhua, “So far, 161 students of al-Azhar University were hospitalized due to the food poisoning since Monday night, 95 people have recovered, while dozens more were still under treatment.”
According to reports, the students were sickened after having lunch at a dining hall on campus in which a meal consisting of rotting tuna was served.
The outbreak sparked protests, in which the students blocked the main road leading to the university. Security used tear gas to settle down the protesters.
In the beginning of April, another food borne outbreak at the university sickened nearly 500 students, resulting in protests and demonstrations and the dismissal of Al-Azhar University principal, Osama al-Abed.
Al-Azhar University is affiliated with al-Azhar mosque, the world’s foremost seat of Sunni Muslim learning, and awards degrees in sciences and humanities as well as in religious studies.
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[…] a follow up to a report last month, Egyptian health officials are reporting that the most recent outbreak to strike Al-Azhar […]