Thailand has ruled out poultry vaccination to counter bird flu saying it is unsafe for humans, a local newspaper reported Thursday.

The decision was made Wednesday during a workshop on how to tackle the avian influenza attended by representatives from the Public Health, Agriculture, Commerce, Finance and Natural Resources and Environment ministries.

Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan said participants agreed that Thailand would not use vaccine to contain the bird flu in poultry, but will instead improve the poultry production system.

According to scientific research, poultry vaccinations can increase the risk of humans to contract bird flu from sick birds which are vaccinated. Such poultry may not die of the disease themselves but will be carriers of the deadly disease.

Sudarat was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying that the bird flu situation in Thailand is under control with the small number of infection cases confined to nine areas compared to more than 400 the same time last year.

The ministry has set a goal to stop bird flu outbreak within three years and planned to conduct checks on nationwide base twice a year.

It will promote safely raising poultry by instructing farmers to separate domestic poultry from wild birds, the primary potential H5N1 virus carriers.

Fighting cock performance rings will soon be allowed to open and run under ministry regulations while owners of free-range ducks will be financially supported to upgrade their farming system.

Health Minister Phinij Jarusombat said the ministry would conduct regular door-to-door checks for possible human infections in red zones covering 21 provinces. It aims to have no human infection cases by next year, he said.

Source: Xinhua