BANGKOK - Asia´s deadly bird flu has been found in a dog for the first time in Thailand, authorities said on Sunday, as the country battles a second major outbreak of the virus this year.

The H5N1 virus was discovered in a dog in the southeastern province of Prachinburi where previous cases had been found in humans and poultry, Health Ministry spokeswoman Nittaya Chanruangmahaphol told Reuters.

´We have found that a dog was infected by the H5N1 virus´, she said, adding the case was confirmed by laboratory tests conducted at two Thai universities.

She gave no further details, but Thai newspapers reported on Sunday that the dog was still alive.

Thailand reported its first probable case of human transmission of bird flu last week. While there was no evidence to suggest the case could set off a human pandemic, it has spurred the government into a frenzy.

A campaign ordered by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to wipe out the virus by the end of October started last week with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and officials from the Health and Agriculture ministries being mobilised across the nation.

So far, 92 areas in 28 provinces are under bird flu watch, of which 50 areas were confirmed to have been hit by the virus, Livestock Department officials say.

Dutch researchers reported last month that cats can get the avian influenza virus, which means pets are at risk of getting and spreading the disease.