Monkeypox is to be rebranded as ‘mpox’ after global health experts said the name had racist connotations and could lead to stigmatization.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the term monkeypox would be phased out over the coming year.

It follows a forum in the summer in which two families of monkeypox - the Congo Basin and West African clades - were renamed as Clade I and Clade II.

At the time, the WHO said the decision was to ‘avoid causing offence to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional, or ethnic groups, and minimize any negative impact on trade, travel, tourism or animal welfare.’

In a statement about the move to ‘mpox’, the international health body said: “When the outbreak of monkeypox expanded earlier this year, racist and stigmatizing language online, in other settings and in some communities was observed and reported to WHO.

“Following a series of consultations with global experts, WHO will begin using a new preferred term 'mpox' as a synonym for monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while 'monkeypox' is phased out.”

WHO will 'very exceptionally' rename conditions

Human monkeypox was first given its name in 1970 after the virus that causes the disease was discovered in captive monkeys in 1958.

The WHO is responsible for naming new diseases and ‘very exceptionally’ will rename existing conditions.

In 2015, it released new guidelines entitled “Best Practices for the Naming of New Human Infectious Diseases,” in which it advised that diseases should no longer be named after places, specific people such as “Creutzfeld-Jakob disease’ or Alzheimer’s, occupations, such as Legionnaires disease, or animals, such as swine flu.

During the pandemic, the body renamed several variants, including the Kent variant, which became Alpha, the South African variant, which became Beta, and the Indian Variant, which became Delta.

Some 3,720 cases have been identified in the UK since the start of May, although the UK Health Security Agency has said it is seeing fewer and fewer cases reported.

NHS England said some 68,000 people have been inoculated against the disease with the smallpox vaccine since the outbreak began in May.

It is now launching a campaign offering a second vaccination to those eligible who have already had their first jab.

Common signs of infection include the development of a new rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, and swollen lymph nodes.

 A young man identified as Ben Kingsley Nwashala, who rescued a 2-year-old girl abandoned by the roadside in Agbani area of Enugu state in June this year, has shared a heartwarming photo of him and the child, IGBERETV reports.

In June, 2022, Nwashala disclosed that the child was delivered by a mentally unstable woman who normally stays at a market in Agbani.

In a post shared on his Twitter handle, Nwashala posted new photos of him and the baby girl.

He captioned the photos;

"How it was vs How it's going

 The All Progressive Congress(APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) is set to unveil the Crowdfund App to mobilise funds for its presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Senator, Kashim Shettima.

A statement by the Council said the app will afford Nigerians the opportunity to poll financial resources to back their preferred Presidential Candidate, who is reputed for assembling the best crop of administrators in the history of Lagos State.

The crowd funding will reduce the influence of money bags, give more citizens a sense of belonging and deepen democracy in the country.

The unveiling of the fundraising app will take place at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria-Island on Tuesday, November 29 by 11am.

 Chioma was seen wearing a ring on her wedding finger during the inauguration of Davido's uncle, Ademola Adeleke, as Osun State yesterday.

Davido was earlier spotted with a ring on his wedding finger. This is coming after rumor's of a secret marriage between Davido and Chioma.

 The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) has debunked reports that the Catholic Church has removed its outspoken priest, Ejike Mbaka, as the spiritual director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu.

The CSN National Director of Social Communications, Mike Umoh, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.The CSN is the administrative headquarters of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, responsible for the administration and promotion of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.

Mr Mbaka was reported to have been removed as the spiritual director of the ministry days after the leadership of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu lifted a three-month-old ban on church members from attending service at the ministry.

The ban followed scathing remarks against Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by Mr Mbaka, who is the spiritual director of the ministry.

During a service on Sunday at the ministry, Mr Mbaka was said to have announced his removal as the spiritual director of the ministry and subsequently introduced Anthony Amadi, another Catholic priest, as the new spiritual director of the ministry.

The cleric was also quoted by Vanguard newspaper as saying that he had been directed to “proceed to a monastery” as part of the disciplinary measures against him by the church.

“So, while I proceed to the monastery to continue with the remaining disciplinary exercises, as directed. I wouldn’t know how long; but the church has appointed Fr Anthony Amadi, one of us, to be overseeing all affairs of the ministry, to be assisted by other priests, pending my return, by the grace of God,” Mr Mbaka had said. But Mr Umoh said the outspoken priest was not removed as the spiritual director of the ministry.

The CSN spokesperson stated that the Director of Communication of the diocese, Benjamin Achi, confirmed to him that Mr Mbaka was only asked to “take time away in solitude to listen to what the Spirit of God has to tell him.” He said the cleric was allowed to propose a priest who would administer the ministry on an interim basis.

“With the approval of his Bishop, on Sunday, 2 October 2022, Fr. Mbaka introduced Fr. Anthony Amadi to the worshippers (as the new spiritual director of the ministry),” Mr Umoh said.

He said Mr Mbaka will return after his period of solitude at the monastery, but did not give details of the time and the monastery where he has been scheduled to go.

New director attacked

Mr Amadi, the new spiritual director, escaped being lynched by angry worshipers after Mr Mbaka announced him as the new spiritual director of the ministry during the Sunday service.

Mr Umoh criticised the worshippers for attacking the priest and insisting that Mr Mbaka should remain in the ministry.

He said rather than attack the new spiritual director of the ministry, “every true Catholic” should, at this moment, commit Mr Mbaka in prayer so that he might encounter God and become better and stronger to carry out his priestly duties after the trip.

“The church loves Fr. Mbaka and cherishes him as an illustrious son,” he added

 There was pandemonium at the Adoration Ministries, Enugu, Nigeria, AMEN, Sunday evening, following an announcement that Bishop Callistus Onaga had removed Fr Ejike Mbaka as the Spiritual Director of Amen.

Fr Mbaka, who personally made the announcement during the Sunday Mass, stated that the bishop had appointed Fr Anthony Amadi as the new Spiritual Director of AMEN, to be assisted by other unmentioned priests.So, while I proceed to the monastery to continue with the remaining disciplinary exercises, as directed; I wouldn’t know how long; but the church has appointed Fr Anthony Amadi, one of us, to be overseeing all affairs of the ministry, to be assisted by other priests, pending my return, by the grace of God,” Mbaka stated.

Mbaka had earlier explained that the ministry had not fully opened, pointing out that some programmes including the weekly Friday all-night adoration remained suspended till further notice.

Meanwhile, Fr Amadi, who was present at the Mass, was nearly lynched by angry worshipers after the announcement. The angry mob had already enveloped him before AMEN security personnel rushed to his rescue and guided him to the Father’s house.

Mbaka had barely mentioned the new priest’s, name when the congregation erupted into, shouting “we say no,”  “we say no,” we no gree and started carrying green leaves, thereby forcing Fr Mbaka to quickly conclude the Mass.

Thousands of faithful had excitedly thronged the prayer center from far and wide following an earlier wide announcement that Bishop Onaga had lifted ban on the ministry.

They were however left dejected following the latest development.

 A$AP Rocky has reacted to a viral video of him looking distressed while surrounded by fans.

The rapper performed at Rolling Loud and fans took to social media to complain that he was late and spent most of his performance ranting and jumping around before deciding to try throwing himself in the crowd.

As the rapper jumped into the mosh pit, fans caught him and are seen touching him.

A video of the rapper panicking and looking distressed went viral, with many talking about it

Watch video below: 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjDGyasASsN/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet