Egypt's Port Said governorate called for a state of alert for cases of poisoned fesikh, a traditional smoked fish eaten during the celebration of Sham el-Nessim, which was Monday. “The hospitals and clinics were prepared and provided with injections to fight against Botulism, a fatal illness caused by improperly canned or preserved food,” said Helmy al-Afny, the Under Secretary of Port Said Health Directorate. “Emergency rooms in hospitals are preparing a 24-hour schedule to care and save any victim, and nutrition supervisors are checking the markets and vendors to assure that the governorate does not have any expired fesikh,” he added. Fesikh is a traditional Egyptian fish dish. It is fermented, salted and dried gray mullet. Fesikh is traditionally eaten during Sham el-Nessim, an Egyptian national holiday marking the beginning of spring. Ahmed Ramzy, manger of Port Said Nutrition Supervision, affiliated to the Health Directorate of the governorate, said supervisors launched a campaign in cooperation with police to check custom outlets and ensure no poisoned fish, especially rabbitfish, were brought into the town. Ramzy said the supervisors found a large quantity of expired herring at vendors in Port Fouad Market. The supervisors got rid of the expired herring and arrested the vendors.