Australian police patrolled the streets and blocked transport into the center of Sydney on Saturday to prevent a planned anti-lockdown protest as the country reported a record high daily number of new COVID-19 infections.

Officials reported a total of 886 cases in New South Wales and Victoria states, with the vast bulk in Sydney, which is the epicenter of the Delta variant-fueled outbreak.

With other states and territories still to report daily numbers, new infections have already exceeded the previous single-day high for the pandemic of 754 cases on Thursday.