Geneva/Harare - The death toll in Zimbabwe's cholera outbreak shot up to 746, the United Nations reported Wednesday.

The figure released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, which reflects the situation as of Tuesday, marks a sharp increase from the 589 that had died by the weekend.

The increase is likely due to the fact that the latest figures include 256 people who have died outside health clinics in their communities.

The total number of suspected cases has also galloped ahead to 15,572, OCHA said.

Zimbabwe's Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu on Tuesday accused the West of causing the cholera epidemic.

"After squeezing and strangling the country with sanctions and contaminating it with cholera and anthrax, the West is seeking to use the window of opportunity provided by the disaster to justify military intervention," Ndlovu said.

"The cholera situation is under control," he insisted, despite the government last week declaring the situation a national emergency and appealing for international aid. (dpa)