The World Health Organization says it will carry out emergency yellow fever vaccination campaigns along the border between Angola and Congo amid fears of a mounting epidemic.

The WHO also said Thursday it will vaccinate people next month in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa, where experts worry the mosquito-spread disease could spread rapidly.

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the agency's regional director for Africa, says WHO is "working with partners and vaccine manufacturers to increase vaccine production."

The global stocks of the vaccine are limited.

Health officials say the yellow fever outbreak began in Angola and has spread to neighbouring Congo as well as to Kenya and China after infected people travelled there.

There have been 347 suspected yellow fever deaths in Angola and 75 in Congo since December.

Congo has extensive experience of dealing with outbreaks of tropical diseases.

Symptoms of the disease include fever, body aches and nausea, although most people recover.

WHO said that the campaign would begin in July. There is currently almost no vaccine left in Congo and a new stock of more than 1 million doses may take weeks to arrive.