WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. government will provide its latest report Thursday on the pace of layoffs, which have remained stuck at a high level since the viral pandemic erupted five months ago.Though the rate of applications for unemployment benefits has reached its lowest point since March, it has exceeded 1 million for 20 straight weeks — well above the record high that predated the pandemic.In this photo illustration, a person files an application for unemployment benefits on April 16, 2020, in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)The virus has continued to debilitate the economy.
The number of new confirmed cases has declined over the past couple of weeks but is still far above the levels that prevailed.