According to USAID/DART staff and relief agencies, a breakdown in water and sanitation infrastructure has exacerbated Zimbabwe's cholera outbreak, and the nation's collapsed health system is unable to respond adequately. On December 3, the Government of Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Welfare (MOHCW) requested international assistance to respond to the cholera outbreak. ' As of December 18, OCHA had reported a CFR of 5.4 percent in Zimbabwe, substantially above relief agencies' accepted norm of 1 percent. USAID/DART staff and relief agencies have expressed concern that cholera rates may rise with the onset of the rainy season in the coming weeks, as rains typically exacerbate the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera.