A Hawke's Bay supermarket employee who tested positive for coronavirus was at work while potentially infectious.

On Friday, Hawke's Bay District Health Board confirmed the person, the region's 36th case, had been working at the Flaxmere New World and was now self-isolating at home.

A District Health Board spokeswoman said the person was a contact of a confirmed case who was unknown to them while they were working. This was not a case of community transmission, she said.

The person had worked at the supermarket on April 3 from 3.30pm to 8.30pm, and on April 4 between 6.30am and 3pm.

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Health board medical officer Dr Nick Jones said the risk to workers and shoppers was low but transmission could not be ruled out.

The national contact tracing service was contacting the person's close associates and family and the regional public health team was working with New World Flaxmere, he said.

New World Flaxmere had given their premises a deep clean overnight.

ROSA WOODS/STUFF A supermarket work in Flaxmere has tested positive for the coronavirus. (file photo)

"The hygiene rules in place at the supermarket will help lower the risk further, but we ask anyone who has developed illness, even very mild illness such as a cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose or loss of smell and taste, to contact Healthline 0800 358 5453 or call their GP."

Jones reminded the public this was not the time to be blaming anyone.

Foodstuffs NZ head of corporate affairs Antoinette Laird said the team member from New World Flaxmere had been in self-isolation since April 5.

"The owner of New World Flaxmere is working closely with the Hawkes Bay District Health Board and is taking their guidance on what additional steps, if any, need to be taken," Laird said.

"We are doing everything we can to support all of our team at New World Flaxmere at this time."

The supermarket worker brings the total number of cases in Hawke's Bay to 36.

But this case was reported too late to be included in the Ministry of Health's daily update on Friday which – not including the Hawke's bay case – included 44 new confirmed and probable patients, bringing the national total to 1283.

So far, 373 people are known to have recovered from the virus, while New Zealand has recorded two coronavirus deaths.