One-hundred and fifty-five students at the al-Azhar University’s female dorm in Assiut complained from food poisoning symptoms, the ministry of health said on Thursday.
The ministry added in a statement that the patients suffer from stomach pain and abdominal distress, but do not suffer from diarrhea, vomiting or high temperature. They were transferred to four different hospitals in Assiut.
The ministry is following the students' health situation, it said, adding that it has created a makeshift hospital to examine the students in the dorm.
Azhar University Chairman Abdel Hai Azab told state-run al-Ahram that he had earlier warned of plots by the Muslim Brotherhood to spread rumours regarding the proliferation of food poisoning within the university.
At least three outbreaks of food poisoning occurred at Azhar University between April and May 2013. Over 700 cases of food poisoning were detected in the university's male dorms.
The outbreaks resulted in the conviction and sentencing of the dorm's director, the university's kitchen manager and eight chefs in November 2013.
