Zimbabwe cholera nearing worst scenario: WHO

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Zimbabwe cholera nearing worst scenario: WHO

GENEVA (AFP) – The death toll from the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe is

approaching 3,000 and within reach of the worst case scenario of

60,000 cases, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

The outbreak, which started in August, has killed 2,971 people and

infected 56,123 others, according to the latest figures gathered by

the WHO released Tuesday.

The previous count issued on Friday recorded 2,773 deaths with more

than 50,000 cases of infection and the WHO said its expected the

waterborne disease to advance further.

" It's one of the worst and largest outbreaks of cholera, " WHO

spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told AFP.

" The situation of cholera is not under control, it's even out of

control, and it will remain so for the near future.

" We're seeing the worst case scenario of 60,000 within reach, " she added.

The numbers are expected to grow with the onset of the rainy season in

Zimbabwe.

The UN's health agency estimates that about half of Zimbabwe's

population of about 12 million are at risk from cholera because of

poor living conditions.

The worst case scenario for health experts involves one percent of a

vulnerable population being infected, in Zimbabwe's case about 60,000

people, Chaib explained.

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