The World Health Organisation says Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic is not under control and the death toll has risen to 792.
A WHO spokeswoman said the number of reported deaths had risen from 783 yesterday with 16,700 cases reported.
In a nationally broadcast speech yesterday, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe claimed ‘there is no cholera'.
‘I am happy to say our doctors have been assisted by others, and WHO and they have now arrested cholera,’ Mr Mugabe said.
His spokesman, George Charamba, said in state newspaper The Herald that the president had spoken with sarcasm and accused Western media of distorting his speech.
The remarks drew swift condemnation from around the world, with one South African Anglican bishop likening Mr Mugabe to Hitler.
‘Mugabe must be viewed as the 21st century Hitler because of the deaths and suffering of Zimbabweans under his rule,’ Bishop Joe Seoka said in The Times newspaper, calling for the 84-year-old to face war crimes charges.
Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change said that either Mr Mugabe is mischievous or genuinely out of touch with reality.
The cholera epidemic is only the latest grim symptom of Zimbabwe's collapse.
The economy has crumbled under the world's highest inflation rate, last estimated in July at 231 million per cent but now believed to be much higher.
New note issued
Zimbabwe's central bank has introduced a 500 million dollar note, as country struggles to cope with the world's highest inflation and crippling currency shortages.
The half-billion note, worth about €7.50 was released together with a 200 million dollar note, which the central bank said in a statement was introduced for the convenience of the public.
Finance minister Samuel Mumbengegwi announced the new notes in a government gazette, bringing to 29 the number of new notes put into circulation this year alone.
Last Thursday, Zimbabwe introduced a 100 million dollar note that at the time was worth about €10; one week later, it is worth less than €0.40.
Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate was last estimated in July at 231 million per cent but is now believed to be much higher.
The central bank struggles to print money fast enough to keep pace with prices that rise several times in a day.
Due to currency shortages, cash can now only be withdrawn once a week from banks.
People may withdraw 500 million dollars a week while companies are permitted to withdraw 50 million dollars.
Queues in banks are commonplace in Zimbabwe as people take hours to withdraw money which is still not enough to see them through the day, while others sleep outside banks to get money the next day.
Once the region's breadbasket, the country is now battling widespread food shortages while cholera has killed nearly 800 people since late August, according to the UN.
