While STIKO wrote about monkeypox last Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends using the short form “Mpox” instead of “Monkeypox”. She announced this on Monday in Geneva. However, both names could still stand side by side for a year before only Mpox should be used. The new name was chosen because it is easy to pronounce in other languages.
Experts are looking for a new name for the virus
The virus itself is also to be given a new name. An independent expert council (ICTV) is responsible for this, which has not yet made a decision. As early as August, the names subgroup I and subgroup II were introduced for the two virus subgroups, which were named after African regions.
The disease was called monkeypox only because it was first discovered in monkeys in 1958. But monkeys have nothing to do with the outbreaks this year. Rather, people become infected through close physical contact with other people. Nevertheless, monkeys were attacked in Brazil this year because people blamed them for the outbreaks. In general, according to WHO specifications, references to specific countries, regions or animals should be avoided in names for diseases. The name should also be easy to pronounce.
Even after the outbreak of the then new type of corona virus in Wuhan in China, the WHO worked flat out on a neutral name to prevent names such as China virus or Wuhan virus from gaining acceptance.