The World Health Organization (WHO) wants to find a new, “non-stigmatizing” name for monkey pox and is considering carrying out an international health emergency due to the spread of the monkey pox virus.
According to the BBC, the WHO states that they are trying to come up with a new name to replace “monkey pox”.
This after more than 30 researchers last week wrote about the “urgent need for a non-discriminatory and non-stigmatizing” name for the virus and the disease it causes.
About 1,600 cases of the disease have been registered worldwide in recent weeks. At the same time, 72 deaths have been reported, but only in countries where smallpox has been present for some time.
The WHO will hold a crisis meeting next week to discuss whether the ongoing outbreak should be seen as an international health emergency – which is the organization’s most serious warning. Previous diseases that caused that warning are swine flu, polio, Ebola, zika and covid.
“The outbreak of smallpox is unusual and worrying,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Monkey pox causes rashes, sores and blisters. The symptoms are often mild but can be severe in people at risk.
The disease can be treated with antiviral drugs. Authorities in several countries point out that vaccines can also help people who have already had close contact with infected people.