Thirteen members of the same family in Namibia have died after eating porridge suspected of being toxic, the country’s public television announced.
Four other people are in critical condition in hospital, the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) reported.
NBC, citing the Department of Health, said at least 20 people consumed the “poisonous or poisonous” porridge after mixing it with leftover fermented substance from a homemade alcoholic drink.
The victims, from the Kavango East region in the far northeast of the south African countries, ages two to 33, NBC said.
Most of those who died were children and were said to be in “desperate need of food”, AfricaNews said on its website.
NBC, citing the Department of Health, said the meal was made with pearl millet flour and fermented sediment derived from a homemade drink.
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An investigation has been opened and a team of counselors has been sent by the ministry to offer psychological support to the grieving family, AfricaNews reported.
He said samples of the porridge had been sent to neighboring countries South Africa to test.
