WHO to Change Name of Monkeypox Due to Racist Stereotypes

Politico has learned that the World Health Organization (WHO) plans to change the name of monkeypox due to racist stereotypes. This was reported by RTVI.

The new name at the World Health Organization could be officially announced as soon as Wednesday, November 23.

According to sources from the publication, this decision has been made by senior officials within the Biden administration in response to growing pressure. "The Biden administration has been concerned for months that the name of the virus exacerbates stigma, particularly among people of color, and that the slow move to a new name is hindering the vaccination campaign that started in the summer," a source told Politico.

Many organizations in the United States, including those from the LGBTQ community, have previously called for abandoning the name of the virus, which it received after being discovered in 1958.

Social activists, as reported by the newspaper, have explained that naming the virus after monkeys is incorrect, as this name aligns with racist stereotypes about Africa.

Monkeypox is a contagious disease in animals and humans characterized by fever, general malaise, and the development of an exanthema. Its pathogen is genetically related to the variola virus (smallpox). The first cases in the European region began to be discussed in May 2022. Notably, many cases have been found among men who have sex with men. Most often, young people who were not vaccinated against smallpox were affected, according to RTVI.