Why NYC Health Officials Want to Rename Monkey Pox

Will be be calling it Monkeypox for much longer?

We have been hearing and reading about Monkeypox for the past few months. It might sound new to many of us but according to the CDC, Monkeypox was actually first discovered in 1958. The Monkeypox virus originated in a colony of monkeys. The first human case was discovered in 1970.

Remember when we heard about just one human case in New York?

The threat has continued to grow especially in New York City. According to the State Department of Health, there are 128 confirmed cases now.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene wrote a letter to the World Health Organization to stop using 'Monkeypox' when referring the virus due to potentially harmful stigmas around it. They fear that the terminology could be harmful to Black people, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community as similar stereotypes from the HIV and AIDS outbreak could arise.

New York City health officials believe that possible issues could be avoided if they started referring to it as hMPXV” and “MPV.” This could be a simple change.