NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — More than 112,000 Tennesseans filed unemployment claims last week, up more than 17,000 from the week before.
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development released the new numbers on Thursday.
According to statewide data, 112,438 filed for unemployment claims for the week of April 4. The week before, more than 94,000 claims were filed.
The Associated Press reports that the unemployment rate has risen to 10% nationwide as the COVID-19 outbreak continues.
The Department of Labor has reported that about 16 million people have lost their jobs in recent weeks. On March 26, the department reported that a stunning, record-shattering 3.3 million people sought unemployment. A week later, that figure doubled to 6.6 million.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average has plummeted more than 6,000 points since its record high of 29,000 in February. However, the Dow has actually rallied in recent weeks and gained about 5,000 points since March 23. The Dow finished up more than 700 points on Wednesday.
MORE TENNESSEE COVID-19 COVERAGE
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- Walmart pharmacies in Tennessee now offering COVID-19 vaccines
- Donate to the COVID-19 Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund
See all our coronavirus coverage here
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE
What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)
According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.
Prevention
The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
