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The World Health Organization (WHO) is quick to use a different name for monkeypox, or monkeypox. From now on WHO will talk about ‘mpox’. Since the outbreak earlier this year, the organization has received several complaints that the word monkeypox is stigmatizing and discriminatory.
Next year, the two names will coexist again, the old name will gradually disappear.
In 1958, researchers first discovered the virus in monkeys, after which it was also named. Although the WHO often names viruses that are later found to be controversial, this is the first time the organization has backed down in so long.
Up to this year, monkeypox has occurred mainly in a number of countries in West and Central Africa. Continuing to call the virus monkeypox, critics say a racist link is being made between black people and monkeys and Africa as a source of disease.
Negative stigma around homosexuality and bisexuality
Meanwhile, according to WHO data, the virus has spread to 110 countries, with a total of about 80,000 infections. In most cases, these are men who have had sex with men, WHO reported earlier this year. According to opponents, the term monkeypox places a negative stigma on this group. As far as is known, 55 people have died from the effects of the virus.
Earlier this year, WHO launched a public consultation process for a new name. Mpox has been proposed by, among others, a men’s health organization, RÉZO. Management hopes that the removal of the “monkey image” will also lead to the health risk being taken more seriously.
RIVM follows the same line
In Holland, the word monkeypox is mainly used to indicate the virus. The RIVM, which also regularly used the English term, says it will adopt the name from WHO and will therefore call the virus mpox from now on.
The institute says it will continue to look at what is used in the vernacular, so as long as monkeypox is still in the vocabulary, it won’t completely disappear from the information provided by RIVM.
