On Friday, health officials reported 446 community cases, confirming an upwards trend which began three weeks ago when transmission of the Omicron variant was first picked up.
The 446 cases - all but three of which are in the North Island, including 340 in Auckland - is a daily record for NZ, up from Thursday's count of 306.
There are 23 people in hospital, with none in intensive care.
In Wellington, home to 11 of Friday's cases, protesters railing against the government's pandemic response continue to hold firm, defying police efforts to move them on.
Police arrested 120 people on Thursday after parliament's speaker ordered protesters to leave.
They lashed out at police for their attempts to clear the lawns, with some assaulting officers.
Superintendent Corrie Parnell said police would continue to take a measured approach rather than increase force, though many police came armed with batons on Friday.
The Convoy 2022 NZ protesters drove to Wellington from all corners of the country to make their voices heard, and have vowed to stay until Ms Ardern removes vaccine mandates which stop unvaccinated Kiwis from working or visiting many places.
The mandates have worked. As of Friday, 95 per cent of eligible Kiwis were double-vaccinated, with booster shots administered to almost half of those.
Despite NZ's success in fighting off the virus, protesters remain against the benefits of treatment.
One woman told 1News of her fear of the vaccine, a fear not grounded in scientific studies of the vaccine's efficacy.
"I'm leaving my husband. He got the booster today. He's gone. I don't want anything to do with him. I seriously believe he's going to die," she said.
The protest now represents a motley crew, with flags and signs in support of all sorts of causes, including Maori independence, water reform and freedom from government.
In an alarming development, a fascist right-wing group released a video of the protest from a nearby government building, leading the speaker to close access to that building.
While police have been unsuccessful in moving the protesters on, the weather might do so.
Forecasters MetService are predicting more than 100mm of rain in Wellington over the weekend, prompting organisers to send out frantic messages on social media.
"TARPAULINS AND RAIN PONCHOS NEEDED," an organiser wrote, before asking for more volunteers for food preparation.
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