Swine-flu testing will be done in New Zealand from Thursday, and scientists are being called in from other duties to cover the workload.

The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) will do the testing at its national influenza center in Wellington, the New Zealand Herald reported on Thursday.

Virginia Hope, who heads the ESR national center for biosecurity and infectious disease, said the first samples had arrived and testing was its "absolute priority".

The center's scientists had been doubled to 12 and it was ready to process up to 1,500 samples.

Hope said preliminary testing for influenza A would be done by district health board laboratories, and ESR would focus on identifying the H1N1 swine flu strain.

She said samples would still be sent to the World Health Organization center in Melbourne for confirmation.

But a "provisional result" could be issued to those suspected of infection, saving the wait while samples crossed the Tasman.

The process would take more than 24 hours, but could be done within 48 hours if expedited.

In a related development, New Zealand Public Health Deputy Director of Public Health Fran McGrath said on Thursday that there were 16 confirmed or probable swine flu cases and 104 suspected cases in New Zealand.

"This morning's situation report shows there are 16 people who are being treated as having swine flu. And we have been advised of104 suspected cases being assessed to see whether they might have swine flu," McGrath said.

In addition, there are 111 cases with flu symptoms who are in isolation and being treated with Tamiflu. The total number of people in isolation is believed to be much higher, as each of the 111 people is likely to have close family contacts who live in the same household.

The New Zealand government was advising New Zealanders in Mexico to leave the country if they are worried about their health.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning against tourist and other non-essential travel to Mexico.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)