Health and water affairs ministers from the SADC Troika will hold an emergency meeting next week about the cholera outbreak that has besieged Zimbabwe.

The Southern African Development Community secretariat said in a statement on Saturday that the meeting of representatives from SA, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia would be held in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The meeting will receive a report from a team dispatched to Zimbabwe by SADC executive secretary Tomaz Augusto Salomão.

On Friday, SA government said it had invited the SADC secretariat to join a delegation leaving for Zimbabwe on Monday.

The delegation is expected to assess the situation, determine the level of assistance required and consult various representatives including the World Health Organisation.

On Saturday the SADC secretariat also said a SADC cholera information centre had been established to facilitate the regional efforts during the crisis.

SADC said the cholera outbreak was affecting Botswana, SA and Zambia.

"The spread of this epidemic and its impact on public health, social and economic well-being of the people of the region requires concerted regional efforts."

The SADC secretariat said it appealed to civil society, private institutions, non-governmental organisation, churches and individuals in the region and outside of it to help Zimbabwe at this time.

"The Executive Secretary wishes to extend appreciation to all governments, institutions and organisations who continue to respond with commitment to this challenge."

The public was also urged to practice safety measures to prevent and control the spread of the epidemic, particularly, across borders, said the secretariat.
On Friday, Zimbabwe government and United Nations figures show that more than 560 deaths and 12,500 cases of cholera had been recorded in Zimbabwe since August.

In South Africa in the border town of Musina, eight deaths and over 500 cases of cholera had been reported since mid-November.