“After a series of consultations with world experts, the WHO will begin to use the new term “mpox” as a synonym for “monkeypox”, the WHO says in a statement.

According to the WHO, the two names can be used simultaneously for one year, after which the monkeypox name will be eliminated.

“This serves to mitigate concerns raised by experts about the confusion caused by a name change in the midst of a global outbreak and also gives time to complete the process of updating the International Classification of Diseases and to update WHO publications.”

According to the organisation, when the “monkeypox” outbreak expanded earlier this year, “racist and stigmatising language was observed and reported to the WHO on the internet, in other contexts, and in some communities”.

“In several meetings, public and private, several individuals and countries expressed concern and asked the WHO to propose a way to change the name”, he stresses.

The term “mpox” will be included in the official list of diseases that the WHO will update in 2023.

For more information on the monkeypox virus in Portugal, click here.