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The state of Minnesota saw its largest one-day spike in deaths from the COVID-19 virus as the Minnesota Department of Health reported 11 new fatalities Thursday. The total deaths in the state now stands at 50.

The number of confirmed cases jumped by 88 bringing Minnesota’s total to 1,242. In Mower County and neighboring Freeborn County the number of confirmed cases rose to 20 each. Dodge County has 13 new cases and Steele is reporting eight cases.

Nationwide, the financial world took another blow when it was announced Thursday that 6.6 million American workers applied for unemployment benefits last week. In just three weeks, 16.8 million Americans have now lost their jobs.

In New York, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, the state reported 799 more dead in just one day — the third straight day of record-high fatalities.

“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.

Worldwide over 90,000 have now died and confirmed infections are at around about 1.5 million according to Johns Hopkins University.

— The Associated Press contributed to this story