Gov. Phil Murphy is signing an order meant to curtail large gatherings – a move he hopes could reverse the rebound seen in recent weeks.

Under the order being signed  Monday, indoor crowds would be limited to the lesser of 25 percent capacity or 25 people, as opposed to the prior limits of up to 100 people.

Funerals, weddings, memorial services, and religious and political events can still operate at the latter crowd size limits indoors, but with face coverings and six-foot physical distancing when possible.

This latest order comes in response to a variety of large-scale house parties held with teens and young adults – many up and down the Jersey Shore, and most notable a 700-person party at a Jackson mansion rented on AirBnB, which prompted the online marketplace to cancel dozens of reservations suspected to be house parties.

“We know that there are many more of you who have been responsible in your actions, and who have taken your civic duties to help up defeat this virus seriously,” the governor said at a Monday afternoon COVID-19 press briefing in Trenton.

“Unfortunately, however, the actions of a few knuckleheads leave us no other course. We have to go back and tighten these restrictions once again.”

Murphy warned that these gatherings, lacking both 6-foot physical distancing and face coverings – the two main preventative measures in health official’s arsenal in lieu of a vaccine – have led to thousands of new cases over the past week, wiping out more than a month of progress made in containing the virus.

“Everyone who walks around refusing to wear a mask or who hosts an indoor house party or who overstuffs a boat is directly contributing to these increases,” the governor said last week.

As of Monday, the rate of transmission – or how quickly the virus spreads – was 1.48, according to the governor. That level hadn’t been seen since April, during the peak of the pandemic for New Jersey, when the majority of restrictions were in effect and hospitals were filled to capacity with COVID-19 patients.

“One month ago, by comparison, it was 0.87,” Murphy said, which was just before the July 4 weekend, and after restrictions were relaxed on hair and nail salons, malls and casinos, outdoor dining, retail, and boardwalks and beaches.

Murphy warned that “if the rate of transmission remains in this neighborhood for a prolonged period of time” then “that leads us to take more action.”

“Frankly it becomes more enforcement than policy,” he said, gesturing towards scaling back the size limits for outdoor gatherings, currently capped at 500 people.

Travelers from one of the dozens of states where the virus is surging have also contributed to the rise in new cases, but Murphy has in recent days shifted his rhetoric towards house parties.

The state logged thousands of new cases in the past week, marking record-highs not seen since March, when New Jersey’s hospitals were pushed to peak capacity. On Friday, Murphy reported 699 new cases. There were 393 new cases on Saturday, 331 new cases on Sunday and 264 new cases on Monday.

“Over the weekend, the statewide rate of transmission continued its upward climb – as we had expected – in response to the increasing numbers of positive test results which we have been receiving,” Murphy said

The positivity test rate – the percentage of COVID-19 tests which came back positive, was 1.88 percent as of July 30, according to the governor.

“Until we begin to see the numbers of cases decrease – not just for one day, but over at least a 7-day trend – and our rate of transmission drop appreciably over a sustained period of time, these restrictions will remain in place,” the governor warned.

“And, we expect local police to strictly enforce them.”