Monkeypox will now be known as mpox, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced, after complaints over racist and stigmatising language linked to the virus's name.
The old term will be used alongside the new one for a year, before being phased out.
Mpox was decided on after lengthy discussions between experts, countries and the general public.
It can easily be used in English as well as other languages, the WHO said.
Human monkeypox was first identified in 1970 and named after the disease caused by the virus was discovered in captive monkeys more than a decade before.
Since then, the WHO has introduced advice on naming diseases.
It stresses the need to minimise unnecessary negative impact on trade, travel, tourism or animal welfare, and to avoid causing offence to any cultural, social, national or ethnic groups.
This year, there has been unusual spread of mpox virus - a member of the same family of viruses as smallpox - in many countries outside central and west Africa, where it is often found.
Cases of mpox have been reported in 29 countries in Europe, as well as Canada, Australia and the US, prompting huge demand for a vaccine to protect those most at risk.
However, cases of the disease have been declining for several months now around the world.
The UK has reported more than 3,500 cases since May, but a rollout of vaccines helped drive down cases following a peak in July.
Most people affected were men who have sex with men.
I like how we need to be sensitive to stigmatizing people, its good to show others respect. Like if someone doesnt feel comfortable getting the vaxcine we need to let them know that while we disagree, othering people for their own medical choices is wrong.
Reminds me of the Dave Chapelle story where he's told that comedy central won't broadcast a clip where he says "faggot". He asks the broadcasting standards broad why not when he can use the word "nigger" all he wants, she says "well Dave, it's because you're not gay." Chapelle responds "well, I'm not a nigger either."
On topic - it's still faggot plague or poof coof to me.
The Wuhan Flu would be called the Wuhan Flu in line with other pan/epidemics if it wasn't for Chinese and "woke" meddling. This is much the same. Change the name in a fruitless attempt at changing the truth in people's minds.
WHO renames monkeypox as mpox, citing racism concerns Associated Press (archive.ph)
By Associated Press Staff
2022-11-28 12:05:17GMT
LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization has renamed monkeypox as mpox, citing concerns the original name of the decades-old animal disease could be construed as discriminatory and racist.
The U.N. health agency said in a statement Monday that mpox was its new preferred name for monkeypox, saying that both monkeypox and mpox would be used for the next year while the old name is phased out.
WHO said it was concerned by the “racist and stigmatizing language” that arose after monkeypox spread to more than 100 countries. It said numerous individuals and countries asked the organization “to propose a way forward to change the name.”
In August, WHO began consulting experts about renaming the disease, shortly after the U.N. agency declared monkeypox’s spread to be a global emergency.
To date, there have been more than 80,000 cases identified in dozens of countries that had not previously reported the smallpox-related disease. Until May, monkeypox, a disease that is thought to originate in animals, was not known to trigger large outbreaks beyond central and west Africa.
Outside of Africa, nearly all cases have been in gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men. Scientists believe monkeypox triggered outbreaks in Western countries after spreading via sex at two raves in Belgium and Spain. Vaccination efforts in rich countries, along with targeted control interventions, have mostly brought the disease under control after it peaked in the summer.
In Africa, the disease mainly affects people in contact with infected animals such as rodents and squirrels. The majority of monkeypox-related deaths have been in Africa, where there have been almost no vaccines available.
U.S. health officials have warned it may be impossible to eliminate the disease there, warning it could be a continuing threat mainly for gay and bisexual men for years to come.
Mpox was first named monkeypox in 1958 when research monkeys in Denmark were observed to have a “pox-like” disease, although they are not thought to be the disease’s animal reservoir.
Although WHO has named numerous new diseases shortly after they emerged, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS and COVID-19, this appears to be the first time the agency has attempted to rechristen a disease decades after it was first named.
Numerous other diseases, including Japanese encephalitis, German measles, Marburg virus and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome have been named after geographic regions, which could now be considered prejudicial. WHO has not suggested changing any of those names.
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That's why we've got to decolonize science and technology. I can't believe that you'd bring up such a harmful idea as using accurate, meaningful terms in something like Science™. Look sweaty, we're moving at the Speed of Science®™ here and you racist troglodytes need to be banished from even reading scientific papers, much less opining on them.
Although WHO has named numerous new diseases shortly after they emerged, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS and COVID-19, this appears to be the first time the agency has attempted to rechristen a disease decades after it was first named.
Willing to bet this is less about racism, and more about trying to draw less attention on how a lot of gays (and children, and pets) were somehow coming down with it. Not exactly a good obfuscation, but it was a hot topic, right until children and pets were going to the hospital with it.
Yeah, well science used to say that 2+2 could only equal 4, and we've had "experts" try to explain how it could be anything besides 4. What do you got to say about that Mr. Secret Smarty Asshole... ... ... please don't say anything. I want to believe I wasn't born into this stupid of a fucking world.
You have so many relationships in this life
Only one or two will last
You go through all the pain and strife
Then you turn your back and they're gone so fast
Oh yeah
And they're gone so fast, yeah
Mmmpox, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba duba dop
Ba du bop, ba duba dop
Ba du, oh yeah
Gigantic government agency takes a stand against using the word monkey.
Kiwifarms user: Hey guys, since you care so much about monkeys, do you know there is a real life underworld organization that endorses monkey torture porn right out in the open? Here are all their dox
