The East Cairo Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday summoned Al-Azhar University President Osama El-Abd, along with the general manager of the university dormitory and the university's general manager for nutrition, to answer questions about a recent outbreak of food poisoning to which hundreds of Al-Azhar students fell victim.

Mostafa Dweidar, spokesman for Egypt's Public Prosecution, told Al-Ahram's Arabic-language news website that an arrest warrant had also been issued for the dormitory's general manager.

Around 500 Al-Azhar students were hospitalised on Monday after eating at a cafeteria on the university's campus.

On Tuesday afternoon, thousands of students marched from the university's campus in Cairo's Nasr City district to the main building of Al-Azhar in Cairo's Darrasa district to protest alleged negligence by university administration.

Protesting students shouted chants against the university president – who was sacked earlier on Wednesday – and management.

The Supreme Council of Al-Azhar, meanwhile, has called for elections within two weeks to select El-Abd's replacement.