( CNN ) -- Armored cars patrolled the streets of Zimbabwe 's capital and residents flocked to banks Thursday after limits on cash withdrawals were lifted in the inflation-ravaged African nation . With prices rising even more than once a day , shopping is a mathematical proficiency test for Zimbabweans . The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had capped maximum daily withdrawals at 500,000 Zimbabwean dollars -- about 25 U.S. cents , and about a quarter of the price of a loaf of bread . But faced with mounting chaos in a country already in economic free fall , the bank decided last week to raise that limit to 100 million dollars ( $ 50 U.S. ) per week . Soldiers were deployed to all banks in anticipation of throngs of people lining up to withdraw money Thursday , when the increase took effect . Wednesday , police chased depositors away and arrested union leaders who planned to protest the limits . Zimbabwe 's inflation rate of 231 million percent is the world 's highest . In addition , the country is faced with a growing outbreak of cholera that its government declared a national emergency Thursday . The outbreak has killed at least 565 people and sickened more than 11,000 , the U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Office said . Medical professionals blame the resurgence of the water-borne disease on the lack of safe water in many parts of the country . The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions said 69 people were arrested across the country during Wednesday 's demonstrations . Amnesty International has demanded to know the whereabouts of human rights activist Jestina Mukoko , whom it said was abducted at dawn Wednesday by armed men in plainclothes posing as police . And angry , unpaid soldiers clashed with foreign currency exchangers and some civilians Monday , three days after troops who had failed to get cash from their banks looted shops they suspected to be illegally dealing in foreign currency .
Residents flock to banks after limits on cash withdrawals lifted ; troops patrol streets . Central bank caps maximum daily withdrawals at 500,000 Zimbabwean dollars . Bank last week raise that limit to 100 million dollars ( $ 50 U.S. ) per week . Zimbabwe 's inflation rate of 231 million percent is the world 's highest .