SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois continued to share in the nation’s economic pain wrought by COVID-19 with 178,421 unemployment claims filed last week.The 56% jump, from 114,114 a week earlier, was part of a record 6.65 million first-time claims submitted nationally.
The malicious spread of the potentially deadly coronavirus is the main factor in Illinois.
The primary preventive measure, social distancing, prompted Gov. J.B. Pritzker to shut down “non-essential” businesses, starting with bars and restaurants, on March 21, putting tens of thousands of people out of work.