(NEWSnet) — The World Health Organization has renamed monkeypox as mpox, citing concerns the original name of the animal disease could be construed as discriminatory and racist.

The U.N. health agency said on Monday that mpox was its new preferred name for monkeypox. It added that both monkeypox and mpox would be used for the next year while the old name is phased out.

The WHO said it was concerned by the “racist and stigmatizing language” that arose after monkeypox spread to more than 100 countries.