ALL residents of California were yesterday ordered to stay home in a bid to battle the coronavirus pandemic in the US’ most populous state.

The statewide order, which Governor Gavin Newsom said will take effect “this evening”, is the most dramatic containment measure yet by a US state.

“There is a mutuality, there is a recognition of our interdependence, that requires of this moment that we direct a statewide order for people to stay at home.”

No end date is set for the measure because the pandemic is a “dynamic situation”, said Newsom.

California is home to more than 39 million people, and has been among the worst hit by the outbreak.

It has experienced at least 18 deaths from the coronavirus, according to a Johns Hopkins tally.

Newsom said he does not expect law enforcement to be required to ensure the measure is heeded.

“People, I think, recognise the need to do more, and to meet this moment, and people will self-regulate their behaviour.”

Essential jobs and tasks such as grocery shopping will be exempted, he said.

“We want people to go to essential jobs – we want people to deal with their essentials in a thoughtful and judicious way.”

In a letter to US President Donald Trump on Wednesday requesting federal help, Newsom warned that cases are doubling every four hours in some parts of the state.

“We project that roughly 56% of our population – 25.5 million people – will be infected with the virus over an eight-week period.”

The governor’s announcement comes moments after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti imposed a similar order on California’s largest city. – AFP, March 20, 2020.