SYDNEY - A cruise ship held off northeastern Australia amid fears of a swine flu outbreak was on Saturday allowed to dock under emergency decree, as the number of confirmed cases here passed 200.

Queensland state health authorities were forced to declare a public health emergency after management at the Brisbane city port refused to let the Pacific Dawn dock and release passengers.

State Health Minister Paul Lucas signed an emergency decree forcing the port to allow the P&O liner to berth at the Portside Wharf, the AAP newswire reported.

"The order gave us the power to override them and allow the ship to dock," a spokeswoman for Lucas said.

The Pacific Dawn has been at the centre of a spike in the number of Australian swine flu cases after 2,000 passengers last weekend walked free from the ship despite a suspected swine flu outbreak on board.

Scores of guests have since tested positive for the virus, and are believed to be behind its rapid community spread, with cases jumping from 14 to 209 in just one week.

The ship was turned away from the Whitsunday Islands and northern tourist port of Cairns this week, after three crew fell ill with the A(H1N1) influenza with a fresh group of 2,000 passengers on board.

Only 150 Queensland residents were allowed to disembark Saturday at Brisbane, after the state invoked strict quarantine powers banning non-residents from entry.

Seven passengers who were tested for swine flu were cleared, but health officials said all those getting off would be met by a medical team and screened for symptoms as a precaution.

They would be masked and tested if it was deemed necessary, and all would be asked to join thousands of other Australians in self-quarantine for seven days.

Figures released Friday by the World Health Organisation showed that swine flu had infected 15,510 people in 53 countries since it was first uncovered last month in the United States and Mexico.

China recorded its first domestic infection this week, and the death toll reached 99, with a new death each in the United States and Canada and two in Mexico.