16.8 million Americans find themselves out of work

NEW YORK -- A staggering 16.8 million Americans lost their jobs in just three weeks in a measure of how fast the coronavirus has brought world economies to their knees. Meanwhile, religious leaders around the globe Thursday urged people to celebrate Good Friday and Easter from the safety of their homes.

Governments warned the hard-won gains against the scourge must not be jeopardized by relaxing social distancing over the holiday weekend. Across Europe, where Easter is one of the busiest travel times of the year, authorities set up roadblocks and otherwise discouraged family gatherings.

A spike in deaths in Britain and New York and surges of reported new infections in Japan and in India's congested cities made it clear the battle is far from over.

New York state reported 799 more dead, its third straight day of record-high fatalities. More than 7,000 people have died in the state, accounting for almost half the U.S. death toll of around 16,000.

"That is so shocking and painful and breathtaking, I don't even have the words for it," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, though he added that there are hopeful signs, including slowdowns in the number of people being hospitalized and being admitted to intensive care. He said hospitals are standing up to the strain so far and the onslaught of patients has not been as big as many feared.

Worldwide, the number of dead rose past 90,000 and confirmed infections reached about 1.5 million, according to Johns Hopkins University, though the true numbers are believed much higher, in part because of different rules for counting the dead and cover-ups by some governments.

Numbers released Thursday by the world's largest economy showed that 6.6 million American workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, on top of more than 10 million in the two weeks before that. That amounts to about 1 in 10 U.S. workers, the biggest, fastest pileup of job losses since record-keeping began in 1948.

The real numbers could be even higher because state unemployment offices around the country have been overwhelmed with claims, and some people have been unable to get through by telephone or website. And still more job cuts are expected.

The U.S. unemployment rate in April could hit 15% -- a number last seen at the tail end of the Depression.

Xian Chang, whose Cafe China and two other New York restaurants normally employ around 150 people, said only about 40 are working. One restaurant is closed, the others are offering takeout only, and workers aren't coming in, in some cases because they are sick or afraid.

"Frankly, we are losing money every day we're open," he said.

Sharon Bridgeman, 57, of Kansas City, Missouri, was laid off from her job two weeks ago at a nonprofit that helps homeless people and is still waiting to be approved for unemployment benefits.

"I'm worried I may not have a job to go back to," she said. "I'm also worried about the people I work with."

In the U.S., the Federal Reserve announced it will provide up to $2.3 trillion in loans targeted toward both households and businesses. In Europe, finance ministers from the 19-nation euro zone were set to make another attempt Thursday to agree on measures to help the bloc weather the crisis.

In many European countries, where the social safety nets tend to be stronger than in the U.S., government programs that subsidize workers' pay are keeping millions of people on payrolls in places like Germany and France, though typically with fewer hours and at lower wages.

The United Nations' labor organization said the equivalent of 195 million full-time jobs could be lost in the second quarter, while the aid organization Oxfam International estimated half a billion people worldwide could be pushed into poverty if wealthier nations do not take urgent action.

Germany, Europe's industrial powerhouse, Japan, the world's third-largest economy, and France are all, like the U.S., either in a recession or feared headed for one.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top American infectious-diseases expert, shot down hopes that warmer spring weather would bring an end to the crisis.

"One should not assume that we are going to be rescued by a change in the weather," he said. "You must assume that the virus will continue to do its thing."

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a third night in intensive care with COVID-19. His spokesman said he was continuing to improve. Britain recorded 881 new deaths, for a total of close to 8,000.

New infections, hospitalizations and deaths have been leveling off in hard-hit Italy and Spain, which together have around 33,000 deaths, but the daily tolls are still shocking. Spain reported 683 more dead, bringing its total to more than 15,200.

Japan recorded more than 500 new cases for the first time, a worrisome rise since it has the world's oldest population and COVID-19 can be especially serious in the elderly.

For most, the virus causes mild to moderate symptoms like fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause pneumonia.. About 350,000 people have recovered, by Johns Hopkins' count.