The Ministry of Health is pleading with Kiwis not to get tested unless they are symptomatic, are a close contact or have been asked to by a health official.
It comes as testing centres have been swamped by asymptomatic people, putting pressure on the system and leading to some test results taking days to be returned.
In their daily statement on Friday, the ministry said there continues to be a "high demand" on testing sites despite previous calls for people to stay away unless they fit the guidance for a test.
"We are continuing to experience high demand at COVID-19 testing sites, including from asymptomatic people who are seeking tests for their own reassurance," the ministry said.
"It’s very important that you only get tested if you have cold or flu symptoms, have been identified as a close contact of a case, or have been asked to get tested by a health official.
"Unnecessary testing is resulting in long waits at testing centres and could also delay results for those who urgently need them."
There were 32,894 tests processed in the last 24 hours, with a seven-day rolling average of 25,567. A new record number of daily cases was also reported: 1929.
Earlier this week, it was reported that up to 70 percent of people in test queues didn't have symptoms.
The ministry said on Friday that some test results are taking longer to process at laboratories due to the increase in demand at community testing centres, particularly across Auckland, where the vast bulk of cases can be found.
"Some results are being returned within 48 hours, but others are taking longer. People are required to stay home until they receive a negative result.
"Aucklanders are being advised to expect these delays and not to call Healthline to check the status of a test result. Healthline is not able to provide this information."
National MP Chris Bishop responded to the ministry's plea, writing on Twitter: "Gee if only there was a simple test that could be done in 20 mins from a pharmacy".
That's likely a reference to rapid antigen tests (RATs) that National want accessible to the public from pharmacies. Currently, access is fairly limited, including to certain employers privately importing them and through the Government's close contact exemption scheme. RATs, however, are not as reliable as PCR tests in providing accurate results.
The surge in testing numbers also comes as businesses and doctors report increased fear among Kiwis about Omicron.
The Restaurant Association earlier this month said the Government's "messaging of fear" about Omicron was putting people off going to stores, while Dr Byran Betty, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners medical director on Friday called for an end to Omicron fear mongering.
“Omicron is highly infectious, and so a lot of people will come down with it, but the majority of people will have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, and so it is very different from the Delta situation," he told MagicTalk's Chris Lynch.
A Newshub-Reid Research poll this month found the public was split on whether the Government had prepared well for Omicron - 44.5 percent saying yes, and 44.3 percent saying no - while 47.9 percent supported a lockdown for an Omicron outbreak. The poll found 45.8 percent were opposed to that.
