Nine of Wednesday's 39 new Covid-19 cases are in the Waikato region.
Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay said the cases were all linked to known cases.
This comprised household or social contacts.
She said two of the nine new cases in the Waikato were outside the Level 3 area in Kāwhia and Karapiro.
Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Huntly, Ngāruawāhia, Hamilton City and some surrounding areas are currently at Level 3.
She said pop-up testing was being stood up in Karāpiro and there were already five pop-ups in Hamilton, Raglan, Huntly and Tokoroa.
McElnay also said the Ministry of Health had been informed a person who presented to Waikato Hospital on Friday night had tested positive for the virus.
The person had been at the hospital between 10.30pm and 1.55am.
They were asymptomatic and screened.
McElnay said the DHB was standing down a number of emergency department staff.
The DHB said in a statement the person had been streamed to the children's ED area as at that stage no cases or locations of interest had been announced in the region.
Investigations had found they were likely in their infectious period at the time of their visit.
All 50 staff on duty in the children's ED at the time have been stood down. One member of the publich who is a potential contact is being contacted.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the cases in the Waikato was a "stark reminder" of how "dangerous" the Delta variant was.
He said it was "possible" health authorities would extend the Level 3 area in the Waikato to include Kāwhia and Karapiro, but no decisions had been made yet.
Wednesday's cases in the Waikato bring the total in the region to 18.
Ōtorohanga District mayor Max Baxter earlier said he had been informed of the Kāwhia case on Wednesday morning.
Kāwhia Community Board Chair Dave Walsh also confirmed the case to 1News.
The Kāwhia Hotel has said in a Facebook post to be safe it is operating under Level 3 restrictions until further notice.
SHARE ME