Officials are debunking monkeypox myths after social media conspiracy theorists claimed it is actually shingles caused by the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Conspiracy theorists believe that monkeypox is a "cover-up" and what people really have is COVID-19 vaccine-induced shingles.
On Twitter, conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers are claiming monkeypox is being rebranded as vaccine-activated shingles and people who have been boosted will contract the viral infection.
One Twitter user said: "You can't create a brand new disease just because it's convenient for you. Monkeypox is a cover-up for vaccine side effects."
English band Right Said Fred even tweeted about the viral infection with a photo of the alleged contents of the AstraZeneca vaccine, along with the caption "More monkey business".
An epidemiologist who works for the US Centers for Control and Prevention (CDC), said under the Twitter handle Dr Neurofourier: "Monkeypox is called that because it was discovered in infected monkeys in laboratories. Period.
"Getting AstraZeneca’s vaccine won’t give you monkeypox, please stop with this outlandish theory."
Paediatrician Dr Daniel Summers reshared the tweet with the caption: "if you’re looking for recommendations for who to follow for reliable information about this issue, none come higher from me than Neuro."
Monkeypox was first discovered in the late 1950s in infected laboratory monkeys, which is why it is called monkeypox.
Health officials became concerned about monkeypox after cases started to rise in Europe and other parts of the world - not just in west and central Africa, where the viral infection usually occurs.
The World Health Organization has confirmed that as of May 21, 92 cases have been confirmed and there are 28 suspected cases of the virus outside of Africa.
Monkeypox is a virus that can cause symptoms including fever and aches and presents with a distinctive bumpy rash.
The virus can't be easily transmitted and is likely spread by intimate skin-to-skin contact.
Many people who have been diagnosed with monkeypox in the current outbreak are men who have sex with men.
Virologist Angela Rasmussen said the outbreak could be due to a number of factors, including travelling globally again and climate change.
She also said people are more alert to new outbreaks after the COVID-19 pandemic.
