Those with flu symptoms were given Tamiflu and asked to stay at home in isolation. The group includes 16 students, two teachers and a parent.

Worldwide, more than 26,000 cases, including 140 deaths, have been reported in 73 countries. Australia's total has passed 1200 cases, mostly in Victoria, and is rising rapidly.

The World Health Organisation said on Tuesday the spike in Australian cases may push it to announce the first flu pandemic in 41 years.

It also expressed concern about an unusual rise in severe illness from the disease in Canada.

But the WHO's flu chief Keiji Fukuda said the agency wanted to avoid "adverse effects" if it announces a global outbreak of swine flu. Fukuda said people might panic or that governments might take inappropriate actions if WHO declares a pandemic.

In most countries, the new H1N1 virus has triggered only mild illness. But the fact that some of the deaths have occurred in otherwise healthy adults has prompted WHO to classify the outbreak as "moderate" for the time being.

Notifiable diseases

The Government on Monday added swine flu to the list of notifiable diseases.

This allows people who have been in contact with patients who have swine flu to be compulsorily isolated at home, and pupils and teachers who are patients or contacts to be excluded from schools.

These measures are in addition to the general powers of medical officers of health under the Health Act 1956 to isolate people considered at risk of spreading swine flu.

A person who disobeys medical officers' orders faces a $500 fine, plus $50 for each further day of non-compliance.

But it is more likely the officer would invoke the power in section 79 (4) of the act to "detain him, by force if necessary".

Anyone who leaves their specified place of isolation is liable to be "arrested by any officer of the Ministry of Health or by any member of the staff of the hospital or other place of isolation or by any constable, without warrant" and taken to the place of isolation.

As well, medical officers of health gain much wider powers - such as restricting travel, closing businesses and banning meetings - if the Prime Minister issues an epidemic notice, the Minister of Health gives authority or a state of emergency is declared.

Then the penalty for disobeying a medical officer of health's directions rises to a maximum of six months' jail and a fine up to $4000.

The director of public health, Dr Mark Jacobs, said yesterday the Health Ministry's preference was voluntarily compliance and that was working well.

"If we had a problem with that, our fall-back wouldn't be to take them to court and fine them. It would be to enforce isolation, because the purpose of this is public health.