California has asked hospitals to ramp up their coronavirus testing amid a surge of new cases, urging them to test health care workers at least once per week while testing all new patients before admitting them.

California reported 7,787 confirmed coronavirus hospitalizations on Monday, with 1,812 of those patients in intensive care units. Statewide, 75% of intensive care beds are filled and state officials expect to reach capacity by mid-December.

The California Department of Public Health sent hospitals a letter last week that “strongly recommends” they test their employees at least once a week, defining workers as all paid and unpaid people who have the “potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients.” The broad definition includes doctors, nurses, students, volunteers, security, laundry and administrative workers, among others.

“There are simply too many asymptomatic people with COVID, and without robust testing, our hospitals will remain centers for spreading the disease instead of centers of healing as they should be,” said Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, president of the California Nurses Association.

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