Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Healthcare

Why the WHO is renaming monkeypox

The World Health Organization (WHO) is renaming monkeypox amid concerns that the name may be considered racist and might not accurately describe the origin of the virus.

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in mid-June that the organization would be renaming monkeypox.

“WHO is also working with partners and experts from around the world on changing the name of #monkeypox virus, its clades and the disease it causes. We will make announcements about the new names as soon as possible,” he said, according to WHO.

A group of scientists wrote a joint statement earlier in June urging for the monkeypox to be renamed, calling the current name “discriminatory and stigmatizing.”

“The prevailing perception in the international media and scientific literature is that [monkeypox virus] is endemic in people in some African countries. However, it is well established that nearly all [monkeypox virus] outbreaks in Africa prior to the 2022 outbreak, have been the result of spillover from animals to humans and only rarely have there been reports of sustained human-to-human transmissions,” they said. 

“In the context of the current global outbreak, continued reference to, and nomenclature of this virus being African is not only inaccurate but is also discriminatory and stigmatizing. The most obvious manifestation of this is the use of photos of African patients to depict the pox lesions in mainstream media in the global north.”

There are also concerns about whether the name of the virus accurately describes the origin of the monkeypox. The virus received its name because it was first found in monkey colonies in 1958, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that the actual source of the virus is unclear.

That’s led some officials to warn people against targeting monkeys over the disease.

“What people need to know very clearly is the transmission we are seeing is happening between humans to humans. It’s close contact transmission. So the concern should be about where it’s transmitting in the human population, and what humans can do to protect themselves from getting it and transmitting it. They should certainly not be attacking any animals,” WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said on Tuesday.

The renaming campaign comes amid the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which former President Trump has referred to as the ‘China virus” and “Wuhan virus.” WHO officials have warned not to use that terminology, given that it can stigmatize the Asian community.

Advertisement

You May Also Like

Finance

As a startup owner, you know that the accounting often receives less attention than immediate priorities. Product development and market analysis seem to be...

Technology

Two schools in Lake Havasu, Arizona, fired teachers Samantha and Dillon Pier. The pair had been shooting adult videos on school grounds. The students...

Media

Ohio is a state with a rich history, culture and many attractions for visitors. Here are the top 10 most interesting websites for discovering...

Uncategorized

The modern problem of addictions and dependencies is terrifying. Substance use disorders affect almost 21 million Americans annually, and the number keeps increasing. A...