By The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana had about 24,000 people apply for unemployment benefits last week as the state followed the national trend of slowing job losses after coronavirus-related business closures started in mid-March.

Some 240,000 Indiana residents received jobless aid for the week ending May 23, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics released Thursday. That is down from the peak of nearly 295,000 in early May just before statewide business and travel restrictions started being eased but still more than 10 times the level of early March.

Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday signed a 30-day extension of the state’s public health emergency until July 4, when he expects to lift most limits on businesses, large gatherings and entertainment activities.

Indiana had the country’s fifth-highest unemployment rate for April at 16.9%, topping the national rate of 14.7%.

The state’s unemployment applications peaked at 139,000 a week in late March, up from a typical 3,000 before the pandemic hit the country.