Five people have died in a fresh outbreak of cholera in Zimbabwe, the Herald reported on Tuesday.

"Five people from Mashonaland West and Midlands provinces have died of cholera while 30 more received treatment for the disease since Tuesday last week," the newspaper said, citing Secretary for Health and Child Welfare Dr Gerald Gwinji.

Three of the deaths occurred in Mashonaland and two in the Midlands.

"Most of the cases were recorded in Gokwe North among religious objectors, who for a long time have been reluctant to seek medical attention," Gwinji was quoted as saying.

The current wave of cholera started last month in Chipinge and to date, Gwinji said, cholera cases had surged to 117 in Manicaland, Midlands and Mashonaland West provinces.

The Herald said the United Nations Children's Fund had recently warned of a possible outbreak, adding that conditions precipitating last year's June-August outbreak had not "significantly changed".

Gwinji also told the newspaper that cases of suspected swine flu had reached 1318 countrywide.

He said in the past week alone, 211 new cases were recorded of which 195 came from Midlands and 16 from Mashonaland East.

Gwinji told the newspaper that a further 197 suspected cases had been tested and proved positive for Influenza Type A.

"Testing positive for Influenza Type A means the individual might have contracted either swine or bird flu, both of which can be fatal," the Herald said.