Bird flu in cats 'no new threat'

At least two domestic cats were affected

The detection of the deadly bird flu virus in cats does not signify an increased risk to human health, the World Health Organization has said.

The WHO statement follows confirmation that the virus was found in two domestic cats and a tiger in Thailand.

The discovery triggered concern that the disease was jumping species.

"While conclusions are premature... infection in cats is not considered likely to enhance the present risk to human health," the WHO said.

Chicken farm

So far 22 people have died of bird flu, the most recent cases being a four-year-old Thai boy and a man in Vietnam.

There has been no recorded case of the virus passing from human to human.

Please don't panic - please do not feed your animals uncooked chicken Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra

But health experts are worried that if the virus mixes with a regular human influenza strain, it might create a mutant form that was able to pass between humans, triggering a human flu pandemic.

Thai scientists said tests on the cats and also on the white tiger "confirmed 100% identical genetic code to the bird flu virus found in chickens".

The two cats that died of the virus were among 15 owned by a Thai man who lived near an infected chicken farm in Nakorn Pathom, about 60 kilometres (40 miles) west of Bangkok, Dr Teeraphon Sirinauemit of the Kasetsart University said.

The white tiger from the Khao Khiew zoo in Chonburi province near Bangkok tested positive for the virus, but had since recovered and was in good health, he said.

Mr Teeraphon also said tests had confirmed that a rare Thai leopard from the same zoo died of the H5N1 virus last month.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra urged Thais not to feed their pets uncooked chicken meat.

"Please don't panic," Mr Thaksin told reporters in Bangkok.

"If animals eat raw infected chicken, they will have no immunity. Please do not feed your animals uncooked chicken."

Pandemic fear

The latest Thai victim was from the country's northern province of Khon Kaen. He died on 3 February and the World Health Organization confirmed on Wednesday that he was killed by bird flu.

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In addition, Vietnam, the only other country where the virus has spread to humans, reported its 15th fatal case, although the WHO said it had not yet received verification of this from the Vietnamese Government.

Thailand had hoped to declare the country free of bird flu by the end of the month, but the virus has now been found among fighting cocks in areas where mass culls had been carried out.

Tens of millions of chickens and ducks have been slaughtered across Asia as the outbreak has also hit Vietnam, China, South Korea, Cambodia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Laos and Japan.