Guest guest Posted February 20, 2004 Report Share Posted February 20, 2004 Thailand reports bird flu in cats http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3505339.stm At least two domestic cats were affected Scientists in Thailand have confirmed the first cases of bird flu in cats. The deadly H5N1 virus was found in at least two domestic cats and a white tiger, veterinarian Teeraphon Sirinauemit announced in Bangkok. The discovery is significant because every time the virus jumps from one species to another, it increases the risk of more cases occurring in humans. 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. " This is the first time in the world that we have found bird flu in cats and tigers, " Dr Teeraphon of the Kasetsart University told a news conference. He said tests on the cats and also on the white tiger " confirmed 100% identical genetic code to the bird flu virus found in chickens " . Please don't panic - please do not feed your animals uncooked chicken Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra 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 said. He said 14 cats died, but it was unclear if all had been infected with the H5N1 virus. One cat was still alive. " We are going to bring the live one, which quite sick, to the hospital today to check its health, " Dr Teeraphon 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 Teerapol also said tests had confirmed that a rare Thai leopard from the same zoo died of the H5N1 virus last month. The Thai Government said it could not comment on the latest findings until it had seen the test results. 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. " In another development, Canada became a latest country to report an outbreak of bird flu. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency was still conducting tests on chickens from a farm in British Columbia, but officials said it had been identified as the H7 strain of avian flu. It is believed to pose no danger to human health. Following the announcement, Japan suspended imports of poultry from Canada. 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. AVIAN FLU ALERT First jumped " species barrier " from bird to human in 1997 In humans, symptoms include fever, sore throat, and cough Types which threaten humans are influenza A subtypes H5N1 and H9N2 Q & A Avian flu 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. There has been no recorded case of the virus passing from human to human. 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. -- Dave Neale UK Director Animals Asia Foundation Find out more about our historic China Bear Rescue and Friends or Food? projects by visiting the Animals Asia Foundation website at http://www.animalsasia.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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