NZ has reported 185 new COVID cases, along with another death - an Auckland man believed to have been murdered - as the country hits a significant vaccine mark.

New Zealand has hit a fresh COVID-19 vaccination milestone, with 90 per cent of Kiwis aged 12 and over having received at least one jab.

Health officials announced the milestone on Thursday, along with another 185 new community cases.

They also announced a new death of someone with COVID-19: New Zealand's sixth in eight days.

NZ media outlets are reporting that man was Robert Hart, an Auckland man who was fatally shot last Friday.

Police say attending officers wore appropriate protective equipment.

The 185 new cases were again centred on Auckland, with 152 fresh infections.

A further 25 were recorded in the Waikato, including 20 in the city of Hamilton, and eight in Northland.

All three regions are in lockdown to fight the spread of further infection in the community.

The Delta outbreak, which began in August, is responsible for almost two-thirds of New Zealand's entire COVID-19 infections during the pandemic.

Hospitalisations reached a new high on Thursday, with 84 people in hospital including 10 in intensive care, as did the seven-day daily case average, now at 161.

Despite rising discontent from anti-vaccine groups on the fringes, the government's vaccination rollout continues.

Thursday's figures showed 90 per cent of New Zealanders, or 3.8 million people, had received one dose of a vaccine, with 80 per cent - or 3.4 million - fully vaccinated.


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