NZ PM: Auckland to stay under level 3 restrictions

New Zealand's largest city of Auckland will stay under its level three lockdown restrictions for another two weeks but has avoided a harsher, level four coronavirus lockdown.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters in Wellington that after 62 days, the current restrictions have helped keep case numbers low.

More than 100 suburbs across Auckland now have COVID-19 infection exposure sites. Health experts are calling for a tightening of restrictions after 60 new cases on Monday, up from 51 on Sunday.

Just over 70% of Auckland's population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with close to 90% having had one dose.

Ardern said only 4% of the current outbreak's cases were among people who were fully vaccinated.

IMAGE: AP