Number of people affected by cholera reaches 88,000 in Zimbabwe: UN

GENEVA, March 6 (Chinese media) -- Some 88,000 people have now been affected by cholera in Zimbabwe, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) announced Friday, noting the number of new cases reported weekly is dropping.

A cholera patient drinks treated water at Budiriro Polyclinic in Harare January 22, 2009.(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
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At the start of the year, as many as 8,000 new cases

were being reported per week at the national level, but over the past few weeks,

that number has been slashed by half.

According to a joint update by the WHO and the

Zimbabwean government, 395 new cases and 18 deaths were reported Thursday.

Nearly 4,000 people have died from the disease, which

is caused by contaminated food or water, the agency said.

But the WHO cautioned the need to remain alert

continues since cholera continues to claim lives in the Southern African nation

on a daily basis.

It also warned the start of the rainy season could

also trigger increased cases of the disease.