The latest batch of initial jobless claims brought the seasonally adjusted total filed during the coronavirus pandemic to roughly 68.1 million — equivalent to more than 42 percent of the nation’s workforce.

The first increase in new jobless filings in about a month came as some cities and states imposed new lockdown measures to combat the record-setting resurgence of COVID-19. Last week’s total from the US Department of Labor came in well above economists’ expectations for 705,000 claims, according to Wrightson ICAP.

“Finding a job could be challenging as a number of states reimpose virus-related restrictions,” Bloomberg economist Eliza Winger said in a commentary. “Businesses could face more near-term disruptions and lower demand due to the lapse in fiscal aid and a reduction in consumer incomes.”

Last week was the 35th consecutive week in which new jobless claims have remained above the pre-pandemic record of 695,000 as well as the Great Recession’s weekly peak of 665,000.