South Africa's Red Cross is rushing much-needed medicine to Zimbabwe The United Nations says 978 people have now been killed by the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, an increase of 25% from the last figure given three days ago. Another 18,413 suspected cases have been reported since August, the report said ahead of the UN Security Council's first talks on Zimbabwe since July. The talks ended without agreement on a motion to censure Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. Separately, Botswana denied plotting to overthrow Zimbabwe's president. The UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) said the worst-hit area was the capital, Harare, with 208 confirmed deaths and 8,454 suspected cases. The South African Red Cross has sent much-needed medical supplies to Zimbabwe, and has issued an appeal for funds to treat a total of 30,000 people. The UN has warned that up to 60,000 people could become infected if the outbreak is not contained. Economic meltdown The Ocha's revised death figures were released hours before the UN Security Council met for its first discussions on Zimbabwe since it failed to pass new sanctions on the country's leaders in July. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. The meeting was designed, as UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband put it, to "restart UN engagement on this issue". But a motion to censure Mr Mugabe was blocked by opposition from South Africa. Speaking to reporters after the Security Council's discussions, Mr Miliband said the council had heard a "devastating report" from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about "the disintegration of state institutions, the collapse of the economy, the disembowelling of the economic institutions, [and] the collapse of health and education services" in Zimbabwe. "And of course, the symptom of that disintegration is the shocking fact that cholera has returned to Zimbabwe" and was spilling over into neighbouring states, Mr Miliband said. The Security Council also heard a briefing on the stalled power-sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. The rivals agreed to form a power-sharing government in September but its implementation has been dogged by disagreements over whose supporters would get key ministries. The political crisis has aggravated an ongoing economic meltdown that has brought Zimbabwe the world's highest inflation rate. In the southern town of Beitbridge, which borders South Africa, 91 people have died from cholera while several more thousand people are believed to be infected. 'Pretext to invade' On Thursday, Mr Mugabe gave a nationally televised speech saying the outbreak had been contained. "I am happy to say our doctors are being assisted by others, and the WHO [World Health Organization] have now arrested cholera." Now that there is no cholera, there is no cause for war
Robert Mugabe
Zimbabwean president
Botswana denies coup claim Reports on failing Zimbabwe He has accused Western powers, including Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler Britain, of using the cholera outbreak as a pretext to invade the country and overthrow him. "Now that there is no cholera, there is no cause for war," he said. Other high-ranking officials have accused Britain of deliberately spreading cholera. Zimbabwe has accused its neighbour Botswana of being involved in a plot to overthrow Mr Mugabe's government. Zimbabwean Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said there was "compelling evidence" that Botswana was hosting military training camps for opposition rebels. Botswana's foreign ministry said the Zimbabwean claim was "nothing more than distorted or concocted evidence, none of which is supported by facts". Botswana's President Ian Khama is one of the few African leaders to have publicly criticised Mr Mugabe. Are you in Zimbabwe? Have you been affected by the disease? What should the UN do to help Zimbabweans? Please send your comment using the form below: Name
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President Mugabe declared that the cholera outbreak has been contained
The United Nations has reported that a total of 978 people have been killed by a cholera epidemic in the African nation of Zimbabwe, an increase of 25% from just three days ago. The UN also says that there have been 18,413 reported cases in the country since the epidemic began in August of 2008.

The outbreak of the disease has been quickened by the lack of proper sanitation and the collapse of water systems and healthcare. The area worst affected by cholera is Zimbabwe's capital of Harare, where 208 people died out of 8,454 suspected cases. The town of Beitbridge, which is located on the border with South Africa, has also been hard hit, with 3,546 cases reported and 91 people dead.

The South African Red Cross has sent medical aid to Zimbabwe, and has asked for funds to treat thirty thousand people. The UN says that as many as sixty thousand people could become affected by the disease if no action is taken.

Last Thursday, Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe announced in a televised address that the outbreak had been halted, saying that "I am happy to say our doctors are being assisted by others, and the w:World Health Organisation|WHO World Health Organization have now arrested cholera."

Mugabe has also accused Western powers of plotting to use the epidemic as a reason to overthrow him. "Now that there is no cholera, there is no cause for war," he stated. Other Zimbabwean high-ranking officials have also blamed the United Kingdom for spreading cholera on purpose.

The UN Security Council will have a briefing on the Zimabwean cholera crisis soon.