14K Seek Jobless Benefits In New Jersey, Falling 17% Over Last Week

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Nearly 14,000 people filed for unemployment in New Jersey last week, down 17% and the lowest weekly total for new claims since the COVID-19 outbreak came to the state, the Labor Department said Thursday. It's the second week in a row that the number of claims fell compared with the week before. For the week ending Aug. 8, there were 13,822 applications, down from 16,573 the week before. That figure was down 41% over the prior week.

"It's a relief to see initial unemployment claims decline for two consecutive weeks," Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said in a statement. "But with hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans still out of work, or being called back only partially, our workforce needs continued, sustained economic relief."

Nearly 1.5 million people have sought jobless benefits in New Jersey since the first week of March, when the first case of coronavirus was reported in the state.

New Jersey has had roughly 186,000 positive cases of the virus, with more than 14,000 confirmed fatalities and about 1,800 likely deaths, according to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms. Older adults and people with existing health problems are at higher risk of more severe illness or death.

Copyright 2020 The Associated Press.