COLUMBUS – The number of Ohioans filing initial claims for unemployment benefits dropped 3% last week amid signs the economy is recovering from the coronavirus recession.
Ohioans filed 21,447 initial jobless claims last week, according to statistics the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported to the U.S. Department of Labor, down from 22,098 the week that ended April 17 and tiny fraction of the number filed a year earlier as the state endured the first full month of the shutdown to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Approximately 900 of the claims have been flagged as potentially fraudulent.
The 3.26 million initial jobless claims filed in Ohio over the last 58 weeks was more than the combined total of those filed from 2013-2019, the state reported.
Ohioans filed 242,365 continued jobless claims last week, about 31% of the number at the peak last year and 3% fewer than the week before.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dropped by 13,000 last week to 553,000, the lowest level since the pandemic hit last March and the Commerce Department reported that the U.S. economy grew at a brisk 6.4% annual rate last quarter — a show of strength fueled by government aid and declining viral cases that could drive further gains as the nation rebounds with unusual speed from the pandemic recession.
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A total of 1,070,771 Ohioans have been sickened by COVID-19 since the pandemic began after the state reported 1,786 new cases Thursday. The pandemic has claimed 19,188 lives in Ohio.
The incidence rate of cases fell for the second straight week, to 155.6 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks from 185.8 cases. Governor Mike DeWine has promised health restrictions would be lifted when thd incidence rate holds at 50 cases per 100,000 residents for two weeks.
Over 3.67 million Ohioans have been fully immunized against the coronavirus, or 31.78% of the total population.
There are currently 1,200 Ohioans being treated in hospitals for COVID-19. There were 127 additional hospital admissions Thursday, bringing the total number of Ohioans who require hospitalization to 56,145.
The seven-day positive testing rate is 3.6%.