The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that mpox is currently the preferred name for monkeypox.
Monkeypox was named in 1970 more than 10 years after the virus that causes the disease was discovered in captive monkeys.
However, monkeypox probably did not originate in monkeys and knowledge related to its origins is still unknown.
The monkeypox virus is currently found several other animals apart from monkeys.
The name for the disease was given before the WHO published the best practices for naming diseases in 2015.
Since the recent outbreak, experts have suggested changing the name of the disease to avoid discrimination and stigma, which discouraged people from testing and vaccination.