The Supreme Council of Al-Azhar on Wednesday dismissed the head of Al-Azhar University Osama al-Abd over the mass food poisoning of 561 students after eating meals at the university.
The decision prompted students to end their protests, as the council formed a committee to conduct elections for a new president. Mohamed al-Badrawy, media coordinator for the Al-Azhar Student Union, said the announcement satisfies students’ demands.
Hundreds of students had staged a sit-in in front of Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb’s office to call for Abd’s removal, while also demanding an apology from Tayyeb himself. Students also blocked the road in front of the office, leading to tensions with motorists.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health said 488 of the poisoned students who were admitted to hospital have been discharged.
Mohamed Sultan, the head of the Ambulance Authority, said 72 cases are still receiving treatment, but are in stable condition and expected to leave hospitals on Thursday.
Sultan added that a team from the ministry has taken samples of the meals and the vomited food from infected patients to determine the cause of infection.
Amr Qandil, the head of the ministry's prophylactic medicine sector, said that the students’ meal in the dorms was likely the cause of the food poisoning, since all of the students exhibited symptoms three to four hours after the meal.
