Pennsylvania public health officials said Tuesday some 693 nursing homes complied with the universal testing mandate established in June, providing the state with a better understanding of how widespread COVID-19 infections are inside these facilities.

“This was an essential step to ensure that we further protect residents and staff within these vulnerable communities,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We provided nursing homeowners and operators with the resources they needed to complete this huge task and we are appreciative for their cooperation.”