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Australia is being urged to take swift protective action as mpox cases spike in the eastern states, Daily Mail reports.

The World Health Organisation has declared the viral infection a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, with an African outbreak spreading to other continents.

Australia has recorded 35 cases in the past 15 days amid spread in several states.

Nearly 100 cases have been detected in NSW since the start of June after just one case in the prior five months.

Another 110 cases of mpox have been detected in Victoria and 23 in Queensland since April.

The virus is transmitted chiefly through prolonged physical or intimate contact with an infected person.

A rash, lesions or sores, fever, chills, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and sore throat are among the common symptoms.

In rare cases, the disease can cause death.

Previously known as monkeypox, the disease is caused by infection with the mpox virus, which was first identified in monkeys.

The disease has made its way to Europe, with the deadly clade 1b variant detected in Sweden from a man who had travelled to Africa.

Many of central Africa's more than 15,000 cases are the deadly strain, which has not yet been detected in Australia.