Zimbabwe cholera epidemic 'will hit 100,000'

Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic has broken all African records and the World Health Organisation predicts 100,000 people may be infected before it is contained.

When cholera first started spreading last year the worst-case projections were that 60,000 people could fall ill. That total has already been surpassed, with well over 3,000 dead.

While the cholera epidemic in Harare, the capital, has stabilised, in other more rural locations, cholera is raging.

The World Health Organisation recently found that in a two-week period in Midlands province infections quadrupled from 1,000 to 4,000, while deaths rose from 100 to 400.

"Dozens of people were lying there, seriously infected next to those not so ill, and there were three bodies among them on the floor," he said.

"In a couple of days we set up a tent, supplies, some training, and the situation improved immediately."