U.S. Jobless Claims Set for Historic Jump Amid Virus Layoffs (3)

As efforts to contain the coronavirus intensify, the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits is poised for a historic surge.

Ohio saw almost 78,000 applications in the past three days, about fourteen times last week’s total, a state spokesperson said Wednesday. In Connecticut, about 30,000 claims have been filed since Friday, about 10 times the average weekly total, the Hartford Courant reported Tuesday. A spokesperson for Illinois said it had received more than 41,000 claims over the last two days, versus 4,445 during the same time last year.

These represent a slice of the potentially millions of Americans likely ...