The Important Reason Monkeypox Was Renamed to Mpox

The World Health Organization (WHO) has changed the name of the monkeypox virus to simply "mpox."

According to the CDC, mpox is a virus that comes from the same family as smallpox. Some common symptoms include a rash that can develop into scabs. One of its most notable features is that it can be spread from animals to people. Most commonly, the disease is found in central and west Africa.

WHO recently declared the current spreading mpox outbreak a "global health emergency."

Is Mpox the Same as Monkeypox?

Yes, mpox and monkeypox are the same illness despite the name change.

According to Associated Press, both names will be used over the next year as "monkeypox" is slowly phased out of use.

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Why Did They Change the Name of Monkeypox?

According to Associated Press, the name of the illness was changed due to concerns of it being deemed racist and/or discriminatory toward Black and/or queer people.

The name "monkeypox" is also heavily stigmatized. Though initially coined when the disease was first discovered in laboratory monkeys, monkeys are not the main host for the virus. The name reinforces stigmas toward African countries as a source of illness.

Despite the name change, the World Health Organization reports "monkeypox" will be a searchable term in order to match historical information about the disease.

Monkeypox (a.k.a. Mpox) in 2024:

According to Associated Press, more than 80,000 cases of mpox identified in countries that had not had the disease. The illness has been classified as a public health emergency of international concern, the WHO reports.

So far, there have been more than 14,000 cases found and 524 deaths related to mpox in Africa in 2024. Suspected cases are around 17,000.

Bloomberg reports Africa could see vaccines arriving before the end of next week.

There are also cases of mpox being reported in Europe and Asia.

The CDC reports there have been no reported cases of the current strain in the U.S., according to NBC.