The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Monday, recommended a new name for monkeypox disease.

Image for representation (Photo: Reuters)

By India Today Web Desk: The World Health Organisation (WHO), following a series of consultations with global experts, recommended a new name for monkeypox. The disease will now be known as mpox, as a synonym for monkeypox.

WHO announced this news through a news release on Monday. Both the names will be used simultaneously for one year while monkeypox is phased out.

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“When the outbreak of monkeypox expanded earlier this year, racist and stigmatizing language online, in other settings and in some communities was observed and reported to WHO. In several meetings, public and private, a number of individuals and countries raised concerns and asked WHO to propose a way forward to change the name,” the WHO said in its release.

The global health agency, on Monday said that it is the responsibility of WHO under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the WHO Family of International Health Related Classifications to assign names to new and very exceptionally, to existing diseases through a consultative process which includes WHO Member States.

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