U.N. begins Zimbabwean cholera mission

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- The United Nations says it will conduct a humanitarian mission in Zimbabwe to address what doctors call a raging cholera outbreak.

The U.N. visit is set for Feb. 21 and will last four days, CNN reported Saturday. Health officials say the cholera epidemic has been exacerbated by political and social instability in the African country brought on by the inability of President Robert Mugabe to reach a power-sharing agreement with opposition groups.

The cholera outbreak has claimed almost 3,400 lives and infected about 65,000 people since August, and has been made worse by a lack of water treatment chemicals and a problem with waste disposal in much of the country, the broadcaster said.