London: The risk of monkeypox disease is increasing continuously. During the last three months, so far this virus has spread to more than a hundred countries. Along with this, more than 31 thousand cases have been found. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the name of this disease will be changed. A meeting will be called soon regarding this. Along with this, suggestions from common people will also be taken regarding the new name. In fact, in recent days, some critics have expressed concern that the name could mean derogatory or racist.
In a statement on 13 August, the United Nations health agency said it had renamed two families, or groups, of the virus, using Roman numerals instead of geographic regions, to avoid such disputes. The disease, formerly known as the Congo Basin, will now be known as Clade One or I. Also, the West Africa clade will be known as Clade II or II.
Name change preparation
The WHO said that these diseases were named after a meeting of scientists this week. According to the WHO, its purpose is to “protect from hurting any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups”. Many other diseases, including Japanese encephalitis, Marburg virus, Spanish influenza, and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome, are named after the geographic regions where they first arose or were identified. WHO has not publicly suggested any of these names be changed.
Increasing risk of monkeypox
Monkeypox was first named in 1958. In fact, during research in Denmark, a ‘pox-like’ disease was seen in monkeys. Nothing has been said about when the new name of the disease will be announced. But WHO has said that opinion will also be sought from people regarding this. Let us tell you that since May, more than 31,000 cases of monkeypox have been identified globally, most of them from outside Africa. Monkeypox spread in parts of Central and West Africa for decades. But after May this year, its cases started coming from many parts of the world.
