New Zealand has recorded the first death from the Delta variant of the coronavirus and 20 further daily infections, all in Auckland, the epicentre of the outbreak, reports Reuters.

The woman who died was in her 90s and had a number of underlying health conditions, health officials said in a statement. It is the first coronavirus-related death in the country since mid-February.

"Every death is a reminder of the damage Covid-19 can cause when it gets into our community," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in the statement.