Large gatherings on Oahu will be suspended for four weeks beginning Wednesday, Mayor Rick Blangiardi said today.

Events that will be prohibited include weddings, funerals, sporting events and other attractions such as the Van Gogh Exhibit at the Hawaii Convention Center.

People will still be able to gather in groups of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

The change will not apply to church gatherings, but indoor services will be expected to maintain distancing between groups of 10 people, Blangiardi said.

Blangiardi made the annoucement in response to high levels of COVID-19 infection circulating in the community. Honolulu currently has over 9,000 active cases of COVID-19, an all time high.

“We feel that, that’s really the major source of communal spread,” Blangiardi said. “At the same time, we’re obviously urging everyone to be vaccinated.”

The restrictions are scheduled to last four weeks, but could be extended if hospital capacity is still limited and infection levels on Oahu remain high.

Blangiardi added that the Honolulu Police Department will be ramping up enforcement efforts to stop illegal gatherings in conjunction with today’s announcement.