RSV, Strep A, the flu: a range of familiar bugs are worrying doctors and parents with strange new patters. What's behind the mysterious outbreaks?
[A study in Germany](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s15010-022-01756-4) found that levels of RSV in the country reached a record high between September and October 2021 – up to 50 times the prevalence recorded in the pre-pandemic years of 2017 to 2019. [respiratory infections](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-022-00807-9) were more or less [stopped in their tracks](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9111239/) during the first year or so of the pandemic. And figures [from Australia](https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/73/12/2365/6178344) and Germany also show a flat-lining of respiratory viruses during the same period. For strep A, it's possible to use preventative antibiotics in order to reduce the likelihood of infection within a nursery or school where there is a known risk. "Giving it to a whole school is probably over the top," she explains. "On balance, it was still the right course of action." [doctors have noticed periodic surges in other diseases](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210913-the-little-known-virus-that-surged-in-children-this-summer), including RSV, flu and illnesses caused by [Group A streptococcus](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63836093), a bacteria also known as strep A. For example, since 2021, Bamford and colleagues have been tracking the prevalence of RSV and flu virus material in wastewater, to better understand transmission of these pathogens in Northern Ireland. [Fifteen children have died in the UK since September](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63903051) following strep A infection. Here's what doctors and health authorities say parents can do to keep children safe and healthy in the winter. When Covid-19 rampaged across the world, many countries introduced strict lockdowns to thwart transmission of the virus. Some of the children there have been put on mechanical ventilators to help them breathe.
Australia's postal service reports a 55 per cent increase in dog attacks on posties who are suffering "horrific injuries" from household pets.
"Make sure that your fencing is secure, making sure if your dog is in the backyard, they can't get around to the front yard," Ms Caspar said. "The first thing is to make sure that your dog is not behind you when you open the door," she said. "Our posties are just trying to do their job and if they feel that a situation is unsafe when they approach a home, they will not make the delivery," Ms Davies said. "I think it's the responsibility of everyone to make sure that dogs are secure," she said. "Given the relativity of the population, it's not surprising that New South Wales has actually seen the most numbers of dog bites," Ms Davies said. "One of the things as well that we've seen is the mental health issues, the psychological issues that this causes after an attack," Ms Davies said.
Posties are suffering bite wounds, lacerations and scratches as dogs break down fences and open gates to attack them.
Almost 1000 posties have been attacked by dogs since July, the company said - 986 incidents compared with 1587 for the whole of the previous financial year. “Dogs are territorial by nature, so even the sweetest dog can be a danger to our posties. [dogs](https://7news.com.au/news/dog-attack) have been blamed for a staggering increase in pet attacks on [Australia Post](https://7news.com.au/business/australia-post) workers.
Australia Post is pleading for people to secure their pets after almost 1000 posties were attacked by dogs ...
"Lick mats, snuffle mats and interactive puzzle feeders are a few examples of enrichment tools you can try when you know a parcel is on the way," Caspar said. "Our posties are just trying to do their job and if they feel that a situation is unsafe when they approach a home, they will not make the delivery. Executive General Manager of People and Culture Susan Davies said the data is "alarming" and said attacks are worsening.
Australia Post has urged homeowners to secure their pets after a spate of vicious dog attacks on posties.
The dog lunges at the postie within a matter of seconds before appearing to bite at their leg. Stream 25+ news channels in 1 place. Try 1 month free. Australia Post said some of the incidents have led to severe and debilitating injuries with workers requiring medical attention. Australia Post has urged homeowners to secure their pets after a spate of vicious dog attacks on posties. Australia Post reported an average of seven workers were involved in dog-related incidents a day, with posties often left with physical injuries and long-term psychological trauma.
The beloved actress posted a picture of herself with her son to Instagram, writing: “You make me so proud every day to be your mum, love you so much buddy.”.
“Just waltz in, like, not tell anyone, just waltz on in and order a coffee,” he said. “And Lynne - I mean Irene - would be like, CHRIS!!” Asked how he’d like to reappear on Home and Away, Ruffo said he’d love to just “show up” one day at the Pier Diner. “I’d love to go back on Home and Away and spend some more time with Irene,” he told “We’re always in touch with him, he’s still the same larrikin and we still have a great old time and we see him all the time,” she told The Daily Mail in 2018. [Instagram,](https://7news.com.au/technology/instagram) writing: “You make me so proud every day to be your mum, love you so much buddy.”
Postcolonialism is threatening the German state's perception of its national identity and that of Israel.
In Germany, where defending Israel at all costs is seen as a national responsibility, this led to widespread efforts to demonise pro-Palestinian voices and caused real decolonisation efforts to be put on the back burner. “A racial state emerged in German southwest Africa, there was an ideology, there were laws, there were military and bureaucratic structures that were adapted and subordinated to this goal. And today, it is not only providing political, financial and moral support to Israel but also accepting as fact the Israeli claim that any criticism of the Jewish state – or act of support for the Palestinian liberation struggle – is inherently and indisputably anti-Semitic. Nevertheless, their participation, coupled with Ruangrupa’s public support for the Palestinian Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement, was enough for the German media to brand this year’s show “anti-Semitic”. The debate on the alleged anti-Semitism of post-colonial thought did not remain limited to the media sphere either. The show was not in any way focused on Palestine, with only a few Palestinian collectives invited to participate in the months-long exhibition.
Almost 1000 Australia Post workers have been attacked by household dogs over the past five months, sparking an urgent plea by the postal service for dog owners ...
[In Britain, there were more than 1600](https://news.sky.com/story/postal-workers-suffered-more-than-1-600-dog-attacks-in-the-last-year-says-royal-mail-12645354#:~:text=Dog%20attacks%20are%20leaving%20postal,UK%2C%20according%20to%20Royal%20Mail), with 39 per cent of attacks on postal worker taking place at the front doors of homes. [Kane Minion was fatally mauled](https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/qld/brisbane/2022/12/03/brisbane-dog-attack-death/) by two dogs at a home south of Brisbane earlier in December. Ms Davies stressed the need for dog owners to secure their pets, with the postal service anticipating the delivery of [more than 52 million parcels over the holiday period](https://thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2022/11/24/australia-post-christmas-workers/). The number of dog-related incidents is on the rise, with a daily average of almost seven since July, compared to an average of just over four per day in the 2021-22 financial year. Almost 1000 Australia Post workers have been attacked by household dogs over the past five months, sparking an urgent plea by the postal service for dog owners to secure their pets.
Australia Post has revealed posties are reporting on average seven dog attacks a day, with serious concerns things could get worse coming up to Christmas.
“If the dog has already attacked and you’ve fallen to the ground, try to be still and quiet (as hard as this might be) as yelling and fighting back may increase the intensity of the dog’s attack,” Dr Mornement warns. But that is exactly what you shouldn’t do. “Remaining standing, still and quiet can help to diffuse the situation and hopefully the dog loses interest and moves away, allowing you to slowly back away and escape the situation before a full-blown attack.” If it doesn’t back away, your best course of action is to get up high on top of something or place a barrier between you and the dog while you wait for help. “One of the worst attacks we ever saw was with two dachshunds so it just goes to show you that whatever your dog is, keep it secured, keep it safe and keep our workers safe,” she said. “And this time of year is a really busy time of year for us with deliveries and so we’re asking all dog owners to be responsible and just make sure they secure the dogs and ensure our posties and workers are safe.”
Nearly 1,000 Australia Post workers have been attacked by household dogs over the past five months, sparking an urgent plea by the postal service for dog ...
Our teams’ safety has to come first so we really want to stress the need for people to secure their dogs, especially if they are expecting a delivery.” “As we head into the busiest delivery time of the year, we want to ensure that our Posties are protected. NSW recorded the highest number of dog-related incidents with 351 since 1 July, followed by QLD with 281 and WA with 183.