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The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is working with experts to officially rename monkeypox, amid concerns over stigma and racism around the "discriminatory" name of the virus, ABC News reports.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Tuesday morning that the organisation was "working with partners and experts from around the world on changing the name of monkeypox virus, its clades [strains] and the disease it causes."

Mr Ghebreyesus said the WHO would make announcements about the new names as soon as possible.

It comes after more than 30 scientists wrote last week about the "urgent need for a non-discriminatory and non-stigmatising" name for the virus and the disease it causes.

Continued reference to the virus as African is both inaccurate and discriminatory, they said.

Some 1,600 cases of the disease have been recorded globally in recent weeks, the BBC reports.

While 72 deaths have been reported in countries where monkeypox was already endemic, none have been seen in the newly affected 32 countries, such as the UK.

At the latest count, as of 12 June, there were 452 confirmed cases in England, 12 in Scotland, 2 in Northern Ireland and 4 in Wales.