- The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that mpox is currently the preferred name for monkeypox.
- Monkeypox was named in 1970 – more than 10 years after the virus that causes the disease was discovered in captive monkeys.
- However, monkeypox probably did not originate in monkeys and knowledge related to its origins is still unknown.
- The monkeypox virus is currently found several other animals apart from monkeys.
- The name for the disease was given before the WHO published the best practices for naming diseases in 2015.
- Since the recent outbreak, experts have suggested changing the name of the disease to avoid discrimination and stigma, which discouraged people from testing and vaccination.
- The monkeypox had mainly affected gay men. In the United States, black and Hispanic people were disproportionately affected by the viral infection.
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