Workers claiming unemployment surged last week to 281,000 as the economic effects of the coronavirus start to be reflected in government data.
The Labor Department announced Thursday that for the week ending on last Saturday, jobless claims increased 70,000.
For the week of March 7, jobless claims were 211,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week.
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The coronavirus has forced the closings of bars, restaurants, shops, and other businesses across the country. Nearly 10,000 people have been infected by the virus in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Jobless claims are expected to continue to rise as more people become infected by the virus or are unable to work for other reasons. The record high for weekly jobless claims is 695,000 from September 1982, when high inflation reduced hiring.
