During a press conference Wednesday, the mayor said the city's color-coded system to describe Angeleno's risk of developing a coronavirus infection was at orange which he said is "bad."
That level indicates people should stay home as much as possible and "assume everyone around you is infectious," he added.
"If things get worse, the dial could turn to red in the coming weeks. That would place us at highest risk of infection and that would likely return to a safer at home order," Garcetti said.
The mayor said in the last 28 days, the L.A. area has had as many COVID-19 cases as it did in the first 99 days of the pandemic.
Garcetti added that more than 50% of individuals who test positive for the virus in L.A. County are between the ages of 18 and 40. The county on Wednesday confirmed nearly 2,500 new cases, bringing the county's total to just over 123,000.
Coronavirus: County health officials make changes to who should get tested
The county is changing its recommendation for who should get tested, encouraging everyone, including people without symptoms, to get tested. However, Garcetti says testing should still be prioritized for people who do have symptoms, think they may have been exposed or are essential workers.
"We are receiving reports people are getting tested so they can just go out, hang out with folks. That's not what these tests are for," Garcetti said. "A COVID test isn't an excuse to break the rules and engage in social gatherings outside your household. It's not an excuse to not wear a mask and not maintain social distancing. A test is not a passport to party."