New Zealand -The first public hearing of an inquiry into the campylobacter outbreak that struck down more than 5000 people with gastro in Havelock North has begun.

NZCity

The first public hearing into the gastro outbreak that struck down more than 5000 people in Havelock North has begun.

Water contamination that caused a the widespread outbreak of campylobacter forced the closure of schools, required water chlorination and for fresh water to be trucked into the region in August.

The government announced in September it would hold an inquiry into the contamination incident, to be led by Lyn Stevens, QC.

The preliminary hearing at Hastings District Court on Thursday is open to the public to deal with preliminary and procedural matters and in order to identify “core participants”.

The inquiry set to focus on how the Havelock North water supplies became contaminated, how the contamination was addressed, the response to the public health outbreak, reducing the risk of recurring outbreaks and minimising the risk of future incidents.

It’s expected to report back by March 31 next year.