The first community spread cases of monkeypox have been detected in New Zealand.

Two new cases of the disease are both cases of community transmission according to health authorities today.

This means they were caught from someone in New Zealand and not an overseas source.

"As there is currently no confirmed link between the two cases and no identified link to a known overseas acquired case, the agencies consider there is the potential for more cases to emerge," a Te Whatu Ora statement says.

"This is not unexpected and the number is likely to remain low.

"While anyone can get Monkeypox, overseas it has mostly impacted the MSM (men who have sex with men) community and people who have sex with MSM. There is a higher risk for those communities."

The health authority says the two cases are isolating in Auckland.

"Public health staff are following usual contact tracing procedures in assessing any risk of further transmission."

Te Whatu Ora is urging people who experience skin changes or develop lesions or a rash to seek medical advice, "even if you haven’t travelled overseas recently".

There have now been 11 cases of monkeypox detected in New Zealand.