MONTREAL — Quebec says walk-in clinics won't be able to offer Pfizer vaccines for the next several days due to a shipping delay.

A Friday evening statement from the Ministry of Health says the 546,000 shots expected to be delivered over the weekend now won't arrive until June 24 or 25, prompting the temporary pause that takes effect today and is expected to lift when doses land.

The Ministry statement says there's currently enough supply to ensure previously booked appointments can proceed over the next few days, adding the short-term pause won't affect the provincial goal of immunizing all eligible residents by Aug. 31.

Meanwhile, Quebec is reporting 160 new cases of COVID-19 today and nine more deaths attributed to the virus, none of which occurred in the last 24 hours.

Health officials say hospitalizations rose by three in the past 24 hours and now stand at 178, while the number of patients in intensive care remains steady at 39.

The province says it administered 85,917 doses of COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, for a total of 7,249,641; about 70 per cent of Quebecers have received a first dose.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2021.

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