More than 40 million Americans have filed unemployment claims during the coronavirus crisis

A worker.
(Image credit: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

The number of unemployment claims filed in the United States during the coronavirus crisis has now reached a staggering total of more than 40 million.

The Labor Department on Thursday said another 2.1 million initial unemployment claims were filed last week, which brings the total over 10 weeks to 40.7 million, The New York Times 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.