'They should have stuck to music': WHO trolled for changing Monkeypox to Mpox due to stigma

'They should have stuck to music': WHO trolled for changing Monkeypox to Mpox due to stigma
WHO will begin using a new term, 'mpox' for monkeypox disease (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday, November 28, finally said that monkeypox will be now called "mpox." The transition phase has been given one year to phase out the earlier term, and until then the two terms will be used simultaneously to avoid confusion in the middle of the outbreak, while "mpox" will become a preferred term from now on. It was noted that the language used for it was racist, stigmatized, and that several requests for the name change from various countries had been received.

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In a press release, the WHO said, "When the outbreak of monkeypox expanded earlier this year, racist and stigmatizing language online, in other settings, and in some communities was observed and reported to WHO. In several meetings, public and private, a number of individuals and countries raised concerns and asked WHO to propose a way forward to change the name," reported the Daily Mail.