The World Health Organization uses "mbox" as a new name for monkeypox
The World Health Organization said yesterday it would start using a new preferred term, "mbox," as a synonym for monkeypox, and urged others to do the same after complaints that the disease's current name was racist and stigmatizing.
"The two terms will be used concurrently for a year before phasing out the term 'monkeypox'," the WHO said in a statement.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization launched a public consultation to develop a new name for the disease, and received more than 200 proposals.
The United States, which was among the countries and organizations supporting the name change, welcomed the announcement.
"Reducing the stigma associated with the disease is a critical step in our work to eliminate Mbox disease," said US Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.
The World Health Organization said global experts settled on mbox after considering scientific suitability, current use, and ease of pronunciation, among other factors.
Mbox disease was discovered in 1958 and named after the animal that first developed symptoms, and until this year was mostly concentrated in a group of countries in West and Central Africa.
About 100 countries where mbox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease.
The World Health Organization has a mandate to come up with new names for existing diseases.
In general, WHO seeks to avoid linking any disease or virus to a country, region, animal or ethnic group.
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