THE AREA surrounding South Africa's northern border with Zimbabwe was declared a disaster zone on Wednesday following the revelation that local doctors and nurses have treated 664 cases of cholera in recent weeks.
The Limpopo provincial government said it took the decision to declare the Vhembe district a disaster zone after the department of health and social development presented a report on how provincial government was responding to the challenge.
Thousands of cholera-infected Zimbabweans have been fleeing into Limpopo via the Beitbridge border post to seek medical help due to the collapse of their own country's health services, where hospitals have ceased to function properly.
Limpopo province spokesman Mogale Nchabeleng said the decision was taken because most health practitioners were finding it increasingly difficult to cope.
"The report also indicated that although the situation has been under control, more resources, human and capital, are required if we are to make the necessary impact in our fight against this monster afflicting humanity in this northern part of the province," Mr Nchabeleng said.
Out of the 664 cases of cholera in the province, nine people have died - six Zimbabwean and three South African.
The overall death toll from the outbreak, which began last August in Zimbabwe and is blamed on a lack of water purification chemicals and the collapse of a functioning sewage system, has risen sharply in recent days, according to the World Health Organisation.
Yesterday the UN body reported that 783 deaths and 16,403 cases of the waterborne disease had been recorded in Zimbabwe, a jump of nearly 200 deaths and over 2,000 infections on last Tuesday's figures.
The capital, Harare, has the highest toll, with 199 deaths and 8,042 suspected cases as of December 10th.
Despite this, President Robert Mugabe contradicted the UN in a live televised speech, saying there was no cholera in the country any more, as doctors had managed to tackle the outbreak effectively.
"I am happy we are being assisted by others and we have arrested cholera," Mr Mugabe said in a speech in which he also attacked what he described as Western plans to invade Zimbabwe and topple his government.
"Now that there is no cholera there is no case for war," he said.
