Dec 18 (Reuters) - The death toll from a cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe has soared to 1,111, the United Nations said on Thursday, adding to pressure for a quick solution to the crisis in the southern African country.

Here are some details about cholera and recent outbreaks in Africa:

* RECENT OUTBREAKS IN AFRICA:

DIED INFECTED DATE

ZIMBABWE 1111 20,581 Dec. 08

D.R. CONGO 92 3,091 Sept. 08

GUINEA-BISSAU 213 12,785 Nov. 08

400+ 25,000 2005

SUDAN (south) 44 6,000 Aug. 08

700 25,000 2006

ANGOLA 1,893 46,758 June 2006

* WHAT IS CHOLERA?

-- Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Transmission is through faecal-oral contamination or ingesting contaminated water and food.

-- It is characterised in its most severe form by a sudden onset of acute watery diarrhoea that can lead to death by severe dehydration and kidney failure.

-- The extremely short incubation period -- two hours to five days -- increases the potentially explosive pattern of outbreaks, as the number of cases can rise very quickly.

* HOW IS CHOLERA TREATED?:

-- Cholera is treated by replacing lost fluid and salts. People are treated with prepackaged mixtures of sugar and salts that are mixed with water and drunk in large quantities.

-- Severe cholera cases also require intravenous fluid replacement.

-- With prompt rehydration, fewer than 1 percent of cholera patients die.

Sources: Reuters/WHO

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