Mexico received a shipment of a million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd, the foreign ministry said on Twitter on Saturday.

Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said earlier in the week that Mexico was upping its orders from China to make up for a vaccine shortfall and would request 22 million more doses.

The North American country ordered an additional 10 million doses of Sinovac, in addition to the previously ordered 10 million doses, which are due to arrive between March and May. The new order will get to Mexico between May and July, Ebrard said.

Mexico will also order 12 million vaccine doses made by the state-backed China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) once it has been approved by its health regulator, Ebrard said.

(With input from agencies)