Zimbabwe's opposition on Friday called President Robert Mugabe "careless and reckless" for claiming that a deadly cholera epidemic had ended even as the death toll continues to mount.

Mugabe on Thursday declared that "there is no cholera" in Zimbabwe after doctors and the World Health Organisation stopped the epidemic that has claimed nearly 800 lives and infected more than 16 000 people.

"The epidemic is still with us and is spreading fast across all major cities and towns," said Henry Madzorera, secretary for health in the Movement for Democratic Change. "Such careless and reckless statements that have not helped the situation," he said in a statement.

"The underlying cause of cholera is the lack of running water in people's homes and the collapsed sewer system across all areas of the country," he said.

"As long as these fundamentals are not addressed, it would be disingenuous for anyone, let alone a leader, to say the situation is under control."

Party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa told AFP that "either Mr Mugabe is mischievous or genuinely out of touch with reality."

"This epidemic is with us. We need to be bold, honest and decisive about this outbreak," Chamisa said.

"Instead of conveying a message of condolences, Mr Mugabe was busy politicking," he added.

Mugabe's spokesperson George Charamba said in state media that the 84-year-old president had not meant to say that the epidemic had ended, saying he had been using "sarcasm" to describe the disease.

AFP