Novel Coronavirus: New Name, New Cases

On 11 February, the World Health Organization (WHO) named the novel coronavirus, previously referred to as 2019-nCoV, COVID-19, which stands for ‘coronavirus disease 2019.’

The organisation underlined that it was careful to find a name without stigma, ie one that “did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, or an individual or group of people.” It followed best practices for naming of new human infectious diseases developed in consultation and collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).