Record unemployment woes continue as Ohio claims top 850,000

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio unemployment claims stemming from the coronavirus pandemic have topped 850,000 in four weeks, significantly more than total claims over the past two years, according to the Department of Job and Family Services.

A look at coronavirus-related developments Thursday in Ohio:

ECONOMY

The state reported 158,678 unemployment compensation claims for the week ending April 11 for a total of 855,197 over the past four weeks. That is significantly above the combined 715,512 claims filed in the previous two years, according to the human services agency.

The state has paid a record $227 million to more than 271,000 individuals who filed for unemployment in the past four weeks.

Nationally, a record 22 million people have sought jobless benefits, including 5.2 million new claims reported Thursday.

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CASES

To date, Ohio has confirmed nearly 7,800 cases and 361 deaths, according to new federal guidelines that allow cases and deaths considered “probable” COVID-19 infections without a positive test.

The pandemic has caused more than 2,200 hospitalizations in Ohio, with about 680 people needing treatment in intensive care units.

Health care workers account for 20% of the overall cases in the state. Nursing homes have reported more than 800 cases, or more than one in 10.

The virus has infected more than 150 state prison employees and more than 270 inmates, and killed one guard and three inmates. Six inmates have died at a federal prison in Elkton in eastern Ohio.