The World Health Organization has given the disease caused by the coronavirus an official name: COVID-19.
"COVI" comes from the name coronavirus, the "D" comes from the word disease, and "2019" comes from the year the virus emerged in humans.
Under an agreement between the WHO, the World Organization for Animal Health, and the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization, the name couldn't allude to a "geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people." It also needed to be easy to pronounce.
The WHO's director-general says having a name for the outbreak is important because it prevents the use of inaccurate and stigmatizing names.
The COVID-19 outbreak, which started in in Wuhan, China, has spread to two dozen countries, is up to 42,708 cases and has killed over 1,000 people.
Contains footage fromCNN.
