The World Health Organization is announcing a change in terminology when it comes to monkeypox.
“Following a series of consultations with global experts, WHO will begin using a new preferred term ‘mpox’ as a synonym for monkeypox,” the WHO wrote in a release.
The term “monkeypox” will be used in tandem with “mpox” for a period of one year, while the former is phased out.
In its reasoning, the organization wrote that “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.”
