This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the global economy, the United States has seen a record-breaking 33.3 million jobless claims since mid-March.
According to the latest figures, a further 3.2 million Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, bringing the total number of jobless claims to 33.3 million.
This amounts to more than 15% of the US workforce, a staggering number that highlights the devastating impact of the pandemic on the US economy.
Although the number of people filing claims is on the decline, it is still extraordinarily high, says BBC Business correspondent Samira Hussain in New York.
As the country prepares for the release of the monthly unemployment rate for April on Friday, economists warn that the rate could reach 15% or higher, a stark contrast to the 3.5% rate just two months ago.
Since the coronavirus took hold in the US, the country has suffered its worst growth numbers in a decade, the worst retail sales report on record, and the highest weekly unemployment claims ever seen.
