The number of Americans who claimed unemployment benefits last week has risen significantly. A total of 853,000 applications were made, against a revised number of 716,000 a week earlier.

This is evident from figures from the US Department of Labor.

An increase was already taken into account by economists, but it was higher than expected. Economists assumed an average of 725,000 new applications.

Last week’s number of unemployment benefits was adjusted slightly from a previously reported number of 712,000.

Due to the corona crisis, tens of millions of people in the United States have already called on the social safety net in recent months.

The fact that hundreds of thousands of Americans are still knocking on the government’s door every week for benefits can be explained by the significant reorganisations at companies affected by the crisis.

In recent weeks, daily contamination levels in the US have reached new record highs. Several states subsequently announced a tightening or extension of measures against the coronavirus.