New Delhi, Jul 23 (IANS): The health ministry Monday said the yellow fever vaccine, which had been in severe shortage, would be available at all government-approved centres by next week.

"The supplies have arrived at the Mumbai port and sample for quality control certification has been sent to the Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli on Thursday (July 18). Regular vaccination at all centres is expected to be normal within this week," an official release said here.

It further said that the vaccine had been supplied to all the yellow fever vaccination centres in the four metros Monday.

Yellow fever disease is endemic to 44 countries, of which 23 are in Africa and 11 in South America. India is free from the disease.

People visiting these endemic countries can get protection by immunisation against yellow fever through vaccine. Total annual demand of yellow fever vaccine in India is 1.8 lakh doses, the release said.

There are 27 yellow fever vaccination centres in the country.

The shortage of vaccine in the government-designated centres since March 2013 has been due to break-down of equipment at CRI Kasauli and interruption in supply of importation through World Health Organisation due to global paucity.