Cairo: One child died and 198 others were taken to hospital in a province south of Cairo after they showed symptoms of food poisoning, local health authorities said on Thursday.
The victims suffered vomiting and diarrhea after they had eaten lupines late Wednesday at a wedding party in their village in the province of Assiut, some 350 kilometres from Cairo, the Assiut authorities added in a statement.
A three-year-old girl died of the poisoning, while 177 people were discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment, head of the province’s .medical emergency service Mohammad Al Mosutafa said.
“Twenty-one other cases are still under observation and receiving care in hospital,” he added.
Investigations showed that the poisoning resulted from eating lupines tainted with contaminated water at the wedding party in Assiut’s village of Nazlat Al Serqana, private newspaper Al Watan reported.
Samples taken from the pots, where the lupines had been stewed, showed they had water contaminated with pesticides, according to the paper.
Locals said they felt unwell after they had eaten the lupines, which were served as part of food to well-wishes at the party.
No arrests were reported in the incident.
Traditionally, families of brides and grooms in Egypt treat their guests to delicacies at wedding ceremonies in a gesture of welcome and joy.
