BANGKOK:(February 21 2004) Bird flu’s grip on Asia tightened Friday with new outbreaks in China as well as Thailand where the deadly virus was also detected in a leopard, a tiger and two domestic cats.

China reported two new confirmed cases of bird flu in southwestern Yunnan province and northwestern Shaanxi province, bringing the tally to 48 outbreaks in more than half its provincial-level regions.

Thai authorities announced four new cases in two provinces, widening a major resurgence of the disease that authorities said earlier this week had sprung up again in 14 other locations where it was thought to be eradicated.

Thailand is now mopping up infections among poultry in 10 of its 76 provinces, and has shelved plans to declare itself free of the virus at the end of this month and begin rebuilding its devastated poultry industry.

Also Friday, Thai scientists announced the deadly H5N1 strain which has killed 22 people here and in Vietnam had been found in the cat family, raising fears the disease could be circulating among other mammals.

"This is the first time in the world that we have found bird flu in cats and tigers," said Therapol Sirinaruemitr from Bangkok’s Kasetsart University.

"One clouded leopard has already died and one white tiger is still alive and has recovered," he said, referring to animals kept at a private zoo east of Bangkok.

The H5N1 strain has hit eight Asian nations, with weaker varieties detected in Taiwan, Pakistan and the United States.

THE NEWS