Workers transport Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, March 31, 2021. (File photo: Xinhua)

COLOMBO, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government received a new batch of the Sinopharm vaccine from China on Friday, while the Pfizer vaccine would arrive next week as a mass vaccination program was ongoing in the country.

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana said the Sinopharm vaccine arrived in Sri Lanka early Friday and were handed to the Health Ministry before it was transported by refrigerated trucks to the Central Vaccine Storage in Colombo.

In total, nearly 2.5 million people in Sri Lanka have received their first doses of vaccines of Sinopharm, AstraZeneca and Sputnik V.

Jayasumana said Sri Lanka will for the first time receive a batch of Pfizer vaccines which will arrive on Monday.

According to health officials, these doses may be administered as the second dose for those who received the AstraZeneca as the first jabs.

Over 150,000 Sri Lankans have tested positive for the virus since April, while the country's overall patient count reached 257,225 on Wednesday.