A reminder to practice social distancing seen at West Oakland Middle School during "grab and go" meal distribution while Oakland Unified School District is shutdown due to COVID-19 in Oakland, California, US March 19, 2020. (Photo: Agencies)

Los Angeles residents were ordered to stay at home by the city's mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday in a bid to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

"I'm issuing a Safer at Home emergency order -- ordering all residents of @LACity to stay inside their homes and immediately limit all nonessential movement," he tweeted.

"We're taking this urgent action to limit the spread of COVID-19 and save lives."