Some staff who have tested positive for Covid-19 have been working at Auckland hospitals as the region grapples with peak hospitalisations and staff shortages due to the Omicron outbreak.
Auckland hospitals have put all but the most urgent care on hold to allow them to focus on Covid-19 patients.
At the same time, they're managing with 25 percent fewer staff.
Dr Andrew Old is co-ordinating Auckland's public hospital response to the pandemic and told Morning Report in very limited cases Covid-19 positive staff have returned to work.
"It has happened in some very limited cases."
He said staff who tested positive have only worked in areas where there are serious staffing problems, and they only worked with patients who tested positive.
Dr Old says with daily case numbers starting to drop, staff are hopeful the peak will be over soon.
He also says a cash payout incentive for nurses working overtime - due to finish today - is being reviewed.
