Category: In The News

WHO recommends new name for monkeypox disease

Posted on by katherineschroeder

As of November 28, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of the term “mpox” as the preferred terminology for monkeypox. This change aims to reduce stigmatizing language surrounding the disease. Assigning names to new and existing diseases is the responsibility of WHO under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the WHO Family of International Health Related Classifications through a consultative process which includes WHO Member States.

Following this announcement, the Virginia Department of Health has accepted this change of terminology and has begun updating its webpages to align with the new terminology. VDH will adopt the term mpox in its communications, and encourages others to follow these recommendations, to minimize any ongoing negative impact of the current name and from adoption of the new name.

Read more about the WHO announcement here.

Virginia Reports First Presumed Case of Monkeypox

Posted on by davidwilliams

(Full press release link: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/virginia-reports-first-presumed-case-of-monkeypox/ )

Virginia Reports First Presumed Case of Monkeypox

Individual is Resident in Northern Virginia Who Recently Traveled Internationally

(Richmond, VA) — Today, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced the first presumed monkeypox case in a Virginia resident. The initial testing was completed at the Department of General Services Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services. VDH is awaiting confirmatory test results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The patient is an adult female resident of the Northern region of Virginia with recent international travel history to an African country where the disease is known to occur. She was not infectious during travel. She did not require hospitalization and is isolating at home to monitor her health.