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Inquiry hears outbreak details
Inquiry hears outbreak details
The Government inquiry looking into last year's Havelock North gastro outbreak has started hearings this week.
A science group that forms part of the inquiry has narrowed in on the likely cause of the contamination, which entered the Hawke's Bay town's water supply and left over 5000 people affected by campylobacter in August 2016.
This week the inquiry has heard that the water supply was likely contaminated by sheep faeces from a nearby paddock. On Thursday, the inquiry's Science Caucus Group presented tests results that suggest a surface pond less than 100 metres from the affected bore was a possible source of the contamination.
The bore at Brookvale Rd was found to have a defective casing below the ground, but further tests would be needed to confirm if water had got through the casing.
A report obtained by Fairfax Media last week suggested that public alerts about the outbreak might have been more effective if a state of emergency had been declared. The report, written by former national director of Civil Defence John Hamilton, will form part of the evidence for the inquiry.
The inquiry is expected to last two or three weeks. This week the focus has been on how the contamination occurred, while next week the focus will turn to the outbreak, response and the adequacy of contingency planning.
The inquiry is due to report back to Government by March 31.
See summaries of the media coverage of the inquiry this week.
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