The World Health Organization proclaimed the need of renaming the ‘Monkeypox Virus’ after a group of international scientists exclaimed and criticized the title as ‘Stigmatizing and racist’. WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in the morning addressed the need of renaming the virus.
“WHO is also working with partners and experts from around the world in changing the name of Monkeypox Virus, its clades and the diseases it causes”, addressed Dr. Tedros in a press briefing on Tuesday. More than 1600 people from around the world are suffering from the new global outbreak. The outbreak is widespread in more than 35 countries and the numbers are still increasing.
International scientists expressed their concern about changing the name of the new outbreak as it reflects racism and stigma. “We propose a novel non-discriminatory & non-stigmatizing classification of monkeypox aligned with best practices in the naming infectious diseases to minimize negative impacts on nations, economies & people and consider the evolution & spread of the virus”, tweeted Director of CERI. Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom regarding which has called for an emergency committee under International Health regulations next week.