The World Health Organization said on Monday it would start using a new preferred term, "mpox," as a synonym for monkeypox and urged others to follow suit after receiving complaints that the current name for the disease was racist and stigmatizing.
"Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while 'monkeypox' is phased out," the WHO said in a statement.
The WHO launched a public consultation process to find a new name for the disease earlier this year and received more than 200 proposals. The United States, which was among the countries and bodies supporting the name change, welcomed the announcement.