WHO Decides To Change the Name of Monkeypox Virus, Creates Forum to Ask Public to Propose New Name

The World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen to rename monkeypox in continuous work to put down misinterpretations and disgrace around the zoonotic disease’s current name. For this reason, the United Nations health agency has made an open gathering where ideas can be submitted for the virus’ new name.

The disease, which has now spread to over 45 nations, and has in past episodes been related to rodents, is now been called by various names in certain areas. For example, in Chicago, US, the public health office utilizes the name ‘MPV’.

The WHO has been currently renaming monkeypox since June close by different endeavors to encourage the worldwide local area not to have any generalizations around it. The zoonotic disease is lopsidedly influencing men in sexual associations with men and spreads via means of close contact.

In a proclamation given on Friday, the WHO said the ‘monkeypox’ term was given after the virus’ most memorable revelation in 1958. Notwithstanding, from that point onward, the current prescribed procedures in naming diseases and viruses were embraced.

“Major variants were identified by the geographic regions where they were known to circulate. [The] current best practice is that newly-identified viruses, related diseases, and virus variants should be given names to avoid offending any cultural, social, national, regional, professional, or ethnic groups, and to minimize any negative impact on trade, travel, tourism or animal welfare,” the assertion read.

The WHO said it had assembled an impromptu conference on August 8 to permit virologists and general health specialists to agree on new terminology.

“The group reached consensus on new nomenclature for the virus clades (virus variants) that is in line with best practices. They agreed on how the virus clades should be recorded and classified on genome sequence repository sites,” the assertion added.

From this time forward, the agency further expressed that the Congo Basin (focal African) clade (variant) will be alluded to as Clade I and the West African clade will be authoritatively named as Clade II. The WHO likewise concluded that Clade II comprises of two particular subclades (sub-variants).

The agency said assigning new names to the existing diseases is its liability under the “International Classification of Diseases”.

The WHO has shared a connection to the open forum where anybody wishing to propose new names can do as such.

Scientists have called the monkeypox name stigmatizing and biased, adding it supports racial generalizations about individuals of color, LGBTQ people and Africans.

In the meantime, India detailed its tenth monkeypox case prior on Saturday following a 22-year-elderly woman of African origin who tested positive for the virus in Delhi. This is the fifth case in the national capital, and the second affirmed in a lady in the country.