Officials in the department said that the control room would function round the clock and help the health officials in taking precautionary measures to control the disease in areas from where complaints have been registered. The telephone number of the control room is 5353261.

Though according to official figures the number of cases received per day was less when compared to the usual number of cases reported during monsoon, sources in the health department said that most of the patients were contacting private doctors and hospitals for treatment.

The officials have, therefore, appealed to the general practitioners, pathologists, physicians and paediatricians to immediately inform the control room about the spread of malaria, typhoid, jaundice and gastro cases in the city so that the diseases could be controlled.

Complaints regarding supply of polluted drinking water could also be registered with the control room, they added.

In case of malaria, family members of the patients were advised to contact the doctors immediately and get the blood tested at the earliest so that detection of falciparum could be possible. Officials said that it was nearly impossible to get the exact number of patients suffering from malaria and gastro cases but, sources said that cases were pouring in from almost all the low-lying areas and slums from where waterlogging was reported during heavy rains.