Thirteen people have died in a span of three days and four others are admitted in critical condition after eating suspected toxic food in Namibia.

Local media report that all are from a household of 22 people in Kayova village, in north-eastern Kavango region.

The deceased, majority children, are said to have been in desperate need of food.

State broadcaster NBC quoted the health ministry saying that the family had consumed toxic porridge made with pearl millet flour and pounded fermented sediment from a homemade beverage.

The ministry has sent a team of workers to provide psycho-social support and counselling to the bereaved family.

Samples of the porridge have reportedly been sent to South Africa to test for food poisoning.