Zimbabwe appeals for cholera aid

Zimbabwe's health minister, Edwin Muguti, has performed a sharp U-turn to call for international aid to fight a cholera epidemic which is taking hold in his country.

Muguti said: "With the coming of the rainy season, the situation could get worse. Our problems are quite simple. We need to be assisted."

Muguti claimed that the outside world was responsible for the epidemic because of supposed sanctions. However, there are no economic sanctions in place against Zimbabwe, only travel restrictions on members of its ruling regime.

Muguti said 9,363 cases have been reported so far, with 386 deaths. China, one of president Robert Mugabe's longest-standing allies, said it would donate $500,000-worth of vaccines to Zimbabwe.