The World Health Organization has changed the monkeypox name to mpox, citing concerns that the decades-old original name (monkeypox) may have racist and discriminatory connotations.
The United Nations health agency said in a statement on Monday that mpox will be the new name for monkeypox, saying the two names will be used over the next year while the other name will be phased out.
WHO said it was concerned about “racist and stigmatizing language” that emerged after monkeypox spread to more than 100 countries. He noted that numerous people and countries have asked him to change the name.
In August, WHO began consulting experts on how to rename the disease, shortly after declaring the spread of the disease a global emergency.
To date, more than 80,000 cases have been identified in dozens of countries. The disease is believed to originate in animals and has triggered major epidemics in Africa.
Outside of that continent, nearly all cases involve gays, bisexuals, or men who have sex with men.
Scientists believe monkeypox triggered outbreaks in Western countries after spreading through sex in two outbreaks in Belgium and Spain. Vaccination efforts in rich countries, coupled with targeted control interventions, have mostly been successful in bringing the disease under control after peaking in the summer.
In Africa, the disease mainly affects people in contact with infected animals, such as rodents and squirrels. Most monkeypox-related deaths occurred in this region, where there were almost no vaccines available.
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