The Ministry of Health is reporting four new cases of monkeypox in New Zealand.

Monkeypox vesicles on a hand (file image).
Monkeypox vesicles on a hand (file image). (Source: istock.com)

The cases were all reported in the past seven days, and are all people who have returned from overseas travel.

“Three are isolating in the Auckland region, and one in the South Island, following a positive test result,” the ministry says.

“Significantly, in all four cases, there is no current evidence of community transmission and public health staff have assessed the risk of transmission from the cases as low.”

It takes the total number of cases reported in New Zealand to nine.

The Ministry of Health is moving from reporting each individual case to providing weekly updates every Thursday.

“We continue to advise anyone who will have close physical or sexual contact while overseas, or with people who’ve recently been overseas, to be mindful of monkeypox symptoms and the health advice,” the ministry says.

“According to the World Health Organization’s 21 September 2022 report, the number of monkeypox cases reported globally peaked in mid-August and the numbers of cases in Europe and the Americas are declining.”