Patrons sit outside a bar along the Venice Beach Boardwalk on Sunday in Los Angeles. Marcio Jose Sanchez

Los Angeles has become the latest major US city to enforce social distancing by closing down large parts of its entertainment industry.

From midnight Sunday, all bars, nightclubs and restaurants will be closed until March 31, the city's mayor Eric Garcetti announced in a public address.

Restaurants and retail facilities are still allowed to offer drive-through, delivery and takeout services, Garcetti said.

"My first priority as your mayor is to protect you," Garcetti said in his address.

New York and Las Vegas both announced major closures of their entertainment industries on Sunday, with New York mayor Bill De Blasio temporarily closing restaurants, nightclubs and concert venues.

Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts, Washington and Pennsylvania have all issued similar orders to protect citizens during the coronavirus pandemic.