Zimbabwe cholera death toll rises
29/12/2008 - 12:37:53The cholera epidemic sweeping Zimbabwe appears to be getting worse, the UN said today.
Almost 50 more people have died from the disease in the past three days, bringing the death toll to 1,564, the World Health Organisation said.
This compares with 1,518 deaths reported on Christmas Day.
WHO said the cumulative number of cases since August increased to 29,131 from 26,497 in the three-day period.
A spokesman said the agency was still working on the assumption that the disease could affect up to 60,000 people.
Earlier in the month, Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe accused the West of using the cholera crisis as an excuse to topple his government, claiming that the problem had been dealt with.
“I am happy we are being assisted by others and we have arrested cholera,” he said.
Cholera is spread through contaminated water supplies.
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