WHO Renames Monkeypox As ‘Mpox’ To Avoid Stigma

The World Health Organization decided to refer to monkeypox as "mpox" due to concerns of racist and stigmatizing language.

The term "monkeypox" was deemed to be the cause of racist and stigmatizing language online, leading to the agency and others calling for the disease to be renamed.

For a year, WHO will use the terms "mpox" and "monkeypox" interchangeably.

The World Health Organization said that the disease is not only inaccurate but is also discrimination and stigmatizing.

The WHO said in an earlier statement that a process to name the disease when it was discovered was before current best practices in naming diseases and Viruses were adopted.

Chicago's Department of Public Health has begun referring to the disease as "MPV" or "MPXV" despite the U.N. agency's global call.

As of November 13, the number of new cases per week has continued to decline, despite the fact that the U.S. reported a record 637 new cases of monkeypox on August 1st.

In a letter to the WHO, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene stated that they have a growing concern for the potentially devastating and stigmatizing effects that the messaging around the'monkeypox' virus can already have on these already vulnerable communities

Big Number

80, 850. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been more than 100 cases of monkeypox in the world since May 10. More than a third of these cases have been recorded in the United States.

Key Background

Monkeypox was first observed in two colonies of monkeys in 1959 for research. The experts have continued to argue that the monkeys were not the cause or carriers of the disease. There have been previous reports of disease in parts of Central and West Africa. According to the WHO, inadequately cooked meat and other animal products may be a risk factor. Evidence suggests that the virus does not transmit easily between people, even though it is unknown if the virus is transmitted sexually. Respiratory droplets produced when someone coughs, talks or sneezes can be used to transmit human- to-human.

There is misinformation about the disease.

Here's what you need to know about monkeypox, a global health emergency.