Health officials in Egypt say at least 435 students fell ill of suspected food poisoning in public schools across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday after consuming government-issued school meals.
Prior to the start of the current academic year, the education ministry had contracted the military’s production arm, the National Services Projects Organization, to provide the meals.
But the Health Ministry says 312 students in Cairo, Suez and Aswan were hospitalized with symptoms of food poisoning after they consumed foods produced by the military-owned company.
Last week, more than 2000 students were treated for the same symptoms in the southern province of Sohag.
According to the Education Ministry, it has formed a committee to test the meals and reveal the cause of the students’ illness.
