Another 3 million Americans file jobless claims, bringing 8-week total past 36 million

A sign at a gas station alerts customers that a business in Queens is closed on April 03, 2020
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The number of Americans who have filed initial unemployment claims during the coronavirus crisis has now reached more than 36 million.

The Labor Department on Thursday said another 2.98 million Americans filed initial jobless claims last week, which brings the eight-week total to about 36.5 million. Thursday's number was worse than the 2.7 million economists were expecting, CNBC reports.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.