Qatar bans meat and poultry imports from Spain

Qatar has imposed a temporary ban on the import of meat and poultry products from Spain, following the discovery of H7N7 strain of bird flu in the country.

The ban applies to all meat and poultry products, including eggs, from Spain.

H7N7 can infect humans, birds, pigs, seals, and horses in the wild; and has infected mice in laboratory studies.

The virus was detected in farms in Netherlands and the UK in 2003, 2006 and 2008 and most recently in a farm in Almoguera, Guadalajara, Spain. Some countries have already suspended imports of poultry from Spain.

The ban is not likely to have a significant impact on the local market, as Spain is not a major supplier of poultry products to Qatar. Most of the imported poultry products in Qatar come from Brazil, France, the US and neighbouring GCC countries while meat is imported from a number of other countries including Sudan, Syria, Australia, India and Pakistan.