Faith Nyasuguta
Thirteen members of the same family have passed away in Namibia after eating porridge that authorities believe became toxic when it was mixed with a fermented substance left over from a homemade alcoholic beverage, the state broadcaster reported.
According to the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, another four people are in a critical condition and admitted in the hospital. Quoting the Namibian health ministry, the state broadcaster said at least 20 people consumed the “poisonous or toxic” porridge of pearl millet flour after it was mixed with sediment from a homemade beer.
The victims ranged in age from 2 to 33 with the majority of the deceased being children who were reportedly in dire need of nourishment.
In response to the devastating incident, the ministry swiftly dispatched a team of professionals to offer psychological support and counselling to the grieving family.
Additionally, samples of the porridge have been sent to South Africa for testing, aiming to determine the presence of food poisoning.
The authorities are actively investigating the incident, and the affected family is receiving comprehensive assistance to cope with this heart-wrenching situation.
The incident happened in the Kavango East region in the far northeast of the country.
