Virus layoffs top 45.7 mn as US economic distress persists

Layoffs caused by the coronavirus pandemic in the United States have passed 45.7 million, raising fears that despite some positive signs, the economy faces a halting recovery from the downturn.Another 1.5 million US workers filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, the Labor Department said Thursday, a decrease of only 58,000 from the prior week and higher overall than analysts expected.An additional 760,526 filed claims under a program for those who would not normally be eligible fo