Egypt’s Attorney General Mohamed Shawky Ayyad launched an immediate investigation on Friday following a food poisoning incident affecting 89 female students at Al-Azhar University’s dormitory in Luxor. The students, experiencing symptoms like vomiting, severe cramps, and diarrhea, were taken to Karnak Hospital after consuming meals from the university campus.
The Public Prosecution collected student testimonies and food samples to identify the source of the poisoning. University spokesperson Ahmed Zare reported that 60 students have been discharged, with others still under treatment. A week-long committee was formed to oversee food safety measures, and an inspection of the campus kitchen was conducted under orders from Mohamed Abdel Malek, Vice President of Al-Azhar University for Upper Egypt.
Students shared their distress on social media, highlighting the severity of symptoms and delayed responses. “Help us… girls on campus are suffering from severe cramps,” wrote one student on Facebook. Food safety remains a persistent issue in Egypt, where cases of food poisoning and low hygiene standards in public establishments are frequent.
