SHANGHAI, March 31 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of volunteers for a coronavirus epidemiological survey began to work on Tuesday in Shanghai after completing professional training, local authorities said.

The volunteer team, composed of 44 students and a teacher from the Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, was recruited by the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention (SCDC).

According to the plan, the volunteers will assist professionals in the tracking, information verification and medical observation of close contacts amid the epidemic.

The volunteers have undergone 40 hours' professional training and were offered protective materials including face masks and disinfectant wipes. In addition, all the volunteers will accept closed-loop management to ensure safety.

Facing increasing pressure from imported cases, more than 40 staff with the SCDC have participated in the tracking work and were divided into three groups for shifts in order to better carry out epidemiological surveys, helping to block the spread of the virus in time and minimize the possible infected population.

As of March 30, more than 300,000 volunteers for epidemic prevention and control had been recruited in Shanghai, with each volunteer contributing nearly 60 hours of service.