In a letter released last week, a group of scientists said the monkeypox name and references to African descent violated WHO guidelines recommending that geographical or animal names not be used, according to Bloomberg. “In the context of the current global epidemic, the constant reporting and nomenclature of this African virus is not only inaccurate, but also discriminatory and stigmatizing,” they wrote. The scientists also noted that while most cases of the recent outbreak were in Europe and North America, news agencies tend to use photographs of African patients.
The WHO says it is consulting orthopoxic virus experts to find a more appropriate name. One name that has been suggested is hMPXV, the BBC reports. The disease was once little known outside African countries where it is endemic, but Tedros said more than 1,600 confirmed cases have been reported this year in 39 countries, along with nearly 1,500 suspected cases, the AP reported. The virus was named monkey pox because it was first detected in laboratory monkeys, but rodents are believed to be the main host of the animals. (Read more smallpox monkey stories.)
