Hospital expresses fear over spread of epidemic Rabat - Judy Sabah The Regional Hospital of Lalla Meryem in Larache, Morroco declared a state of emergency today after an outbreak of meningitis. Three women have died so far, and the number is expected to rise. A medical source confirmed to Arabstoday that five patients from the same family were diagnosed with meningitis. Two died while another was transferred to a private clinic to receive the necessary treatment. The hospital management denounced the Moroccan Ministry of Health, saying it had underestimated of the seriousness of the spread of meningitis. The hospital expressed its fears that such negligence would lead to larger spread of the epidemic. They added that Morocco’s infection records are frightening, and require serious intervention in the near future.