WASHINGTON, April 30 (Reuters) - The World Bank said on Thursday it had transferred $25.6 million to the Mexican authorities to buy drugs and ramp up testing for the deadly H1N1 flu that has killed up to 176 people in the country.

The World Bank also said it would divert $1.5 million in already committed funding to Argentina to prepare for a possible outbreak of the virus. The funding will help buy airport laser detectors to identify the flu and will allow hospitals to stock medicines to treat the flu.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Sandra Maler)