San Francisco, Dec 18 (IANS): San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced a public health order that places a mandatory quarantine of 10 days on anyone travelling, moving, or returning to the US city from anywhere outside the California Bay Area.

Breed's travel quarantine order on Thursday strongly discourages non-essential travel of any kind and within any distance, including from one location to another within the Bay Area, reports Xinhua news agency.

Additionally, it requires anyone who comes to San Francisco to quarantine for 10 days if they spent any time outside 9 Bay Area counties like San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Sonoma, Napa, Marin and Santa Cruz, the announcement said.

This includes returning residents, people moving to San Francisco, those who work in San the city, and visitors, unless specifically exempted by the order.

Individuals required to quarantine must remain home without physical interaction with others outside their household except in emergency or health care situations.

They are not allowed to go to work, school, or any other venue outside their home for 10 days.

"Covid-19 cases are surging in San Francisco and across the country. Hospitals in the Bay Area are close to being overwhelmed," said Breed.

"We must do whatever we can to contain the virus and stop its circulation in our community. Now is not the time to travel and risk being exposed or exposing others."

The travel quarantine order allows exemptions for medical professionals, first responders, official government business, essential infrastructure work, and other activities, including any travel to receive medical care or travel required by court order, like transferring custody of a child.

As of Wednesday, the Bay Area's ICU capacity fell below 15 per cent and triggered California's Regional Stay Home order.

One of the hardest-hit states, California has so far reported a total of 1,723,362 coronavirus cases and 21,860 deaths, according to the latest update by the CA Public Health agency.