(KRON) – The San Francisco Public Health Department announced Monday it is now using the term ‘MPX’ when referring to the monkeypox virus, according to a tweet.
The change by SFDPH aligns with the California Department of Public Health’s recent decision. According to CDPH, stigma and discrimination are associated with the term ‘monkeypox’.
The World Health Organization announced in June its plans to change the name of monkeypox, citing that the name does not accurately describe the origin of the virus. MPX is an infectious disease that can be contracted by anyone regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or country of origin.
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Last week, Wyoming officially became the last state in the U.S. to have a case of MPX. The Department of Public Health has officially declared MPX a public health emergency in the United States.
