Johannesburg - Zimbabwe's cholera crisis has taken an unprecedented scale and could last for months, the Doctors Without Borders group said Friday. "The scale and the sheer numbers of infections especially in Harare is unprecedented," said the organisation known by its French initials MSF. "Harare has been the centre of the outbreak.
MSF has treated more than 6 000 people in the densely populated capital," the group said in a statement. "A cholera outbreak of this proportion usually continues for several months," it said. "MSF expects to be caring for cholera patients in Zimbabwe for some time to come." Lack of access to clean water, burst and blocked sewers and uncollected garbage overflowing in the streets has spread the water-borne disease across the country.
"The fact that the outbreak has become so large is an indication that the country's health system can't cope," said MSF. Cholera is endemic in parts of rural Zimbabwe, but had been rare in the cities, where most homes have piped water and flush toilets. Those basic services have now broken down, and in some neighbourhoods sewage flows in the streets.
On Friday, the World Health Organisation said the death toll had climbed to 792, with 16 700 cases reported. One day earlier, President Robert Mugabe stunned the world by announcing that the epidemic was over. His spokesperson backtracked on the remarks after the comments sparked international outrage
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