WHO plans to rename monkeypox over stigmatization concerns

LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization is holding an open forum to rename the disease monkeypox, after some critics raised concerns the name could be derogatory or have racist connotations. In a statement Friday, the U.N. health agency said it has also renamed two families, or clades of the virus, using Roman numerals instead of geographic areas, to avoid stigmatization. WHO said the decision was made following a meeting of scientists this week and in line with current best practices for naming diseases, which aims to avoid causing offense based on factors including geography, culture or race. To date, there have been more than 31,000 cases of monkeypox identified globally since May.