The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that it is recommending that the new name "Mpox" be used for monkeypox, which is spreading mainly in Europe and the United States.
In a statement issued by the WHO on the 28th, it recommended using "Mpox" as the new name for monkeypox, and said that there would be a one-year transition period, such as listing the old and new names side by side to avoid confusion. is.
According to WHO, the monkeypox virus was discovered in monkeys in 1958, after which the name came into use.
With the spread of this year's infection, it was pointed out that the name monkeypox ``leads to misunderstanding and prejudice against specific animals,'' so the WHO was considering changing the name.
Regarding monkeypox, WHO declared a ``public health emergency of international concern'' in July this year, and since the beginning of this year, more than 81,000 people have been infected in 110 countries and regions. 55 people have died.
Last year, the WHO also recommended using names using Greek letters, such as the delta strain, to prevent discrimination against specific countries for the new coronavirus variants.