The US Department of Labor Building on March 26, 2020, in Washington, DC. - The economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic sparked an explosion of Americans filing for unemployment benefits. (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images) WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of people seeking unemployment aid soared last week to 965,000, the most since late August and evidence that the resurgent virus has caused a spike in layoffs.The latest figures for jobless claims, issued Thursday by the Labor Department, remain at levels never seen until the virus struck.