Australian Transport Workers Union (TWU) said on Monday it wants an urgent meeting with Qantas and other airlines to discuss what systems were in place to protect staff from swine flu.

"Qantas and other airlines don't have in place an adequate policy to deal with employees in these situations, even after we had requested this following the bird flu scare," TWU federal secretary Tony Sheldon said in a statement.

Sheldon said it was essential for airline employees to be guaranteed access to immediate testing if they came into contact with the virus.

Five people has been suspected of having the flu were isolated and being tested in Australia, New South Wales.

Mexican authorities said earlier today the number of suspected swine flu cases has risen to 1,614, with 103 deaths so far.