A cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe has shown signs of slowing in recent weeks as the death toll reached nearly 4,000, the World Health Organization said Friday.

Some 87,998 cases of cholera have been recorded as of March 5, including 3,975 deaths since August 2008, WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told a press conference.

"We have recorded a certain decline in cases and deaths from week to week," Chaib said.

The spokeswoman said that the number of cases has been averaging about 5,000 a week recently, compared with peaks of nearly 8,000 earlier this year.

Still, despite signs of a slowdown, people should not lower their guard because a major health crisis remains in Zimbabwe, she said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2009)