Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd vowed on Tuesday to use all of the government's available resources to combat against the swine flu.

"This is a serious international concern for public health," Rudd told reporters in Canberra.

The Australian Health Protection Committee has been monitoring developments overseas and was advising the government on what steps were needed to minimize the disease's impact locally.

Already, airlines servicing Australia from the Americas have been required to report any passengers with flu-like symptoms before being cleared to land at local airports.

Nurses have been stationed at international airports to detect and treat anyone suspected of carrying the virus.

Australia also had one of the largest per capita stockpiles of anti-viral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza, believed to be effective in treating swine flu, Rudd said.

While there have been no confirmed cases of the virus in Australia yet, swine flu was thought to have claimed the lives of 149 people in Mexico.

Chief Medical Officer Jim Bishop will brief the cabinet on the current status around the world.