Shops and malls in New Zealand's biggest city Auckland have flung their doors open for the first time in three months as the city, which is at the epicentre of the country's coronavirus outbreak, gradually reopens, Reuters reports.

Retail stores filled up within hours of reopening due to pent up demand while some shoppers reportedly queued up outside malls overnight to take advantage of early bird offers at some stores.

Libraries, museums and zoos were also allowed to receive visitors as the government eased coronavirus restrictions amid a pick-up in vaccination rates and due to mounting pressure from critics calling for more freedom.

The hospitality sector, however, remained shut.