The World Health Organization has designated the virus "Covid-19."
That’s the official name for the new flulike coronavirus disease first identified in Wuhan, China, announced by the World Health Organization Tuesday.
“Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, told reporters at a press conference. “It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreak.” The guidelines were agreed to in 2015 after names like “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome” in 2012 and “swine flu” in 2009 proved stigmatizing and problematic. In 2009, for instance, Egypt ordered 300,000 pigs slaughtered over fears of swine flu ― even though the virus wasn’t present in the country.
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