The number of people in the U.S. seeking unemployment aid fell last week to 498,000, the lowest point since the pandemic struck.

They have fallen sharply over the past year but remain well above the 230,000 weekly figure typical before the pandemic struck.

The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell last week to 547,000, a new low since the pandemic struck.

The number last week was 576,000 claims, down sharply from a peak of 900,000 in early January.

And a total of 18.2 million people were receiving some form of jobless aid the week of March 20.

The larger trend in jobless claims is down, while airline reservations and manufacturing work shifts are up.

That signals many employers are still cutting jobs even as more businesses reopen, more vaccines go out and federal aid spreads.

Still, a total of 18.9 million people are continuing to collect jobless benefits, up from 18.2 million in the previous week.

The four-week average of claims, which smooths out weekly variations, dropped to 746,000, the lowest since late November.

It’s evidence fewer employers are cutting jobs amid a decline in confirmed coronavirus cases and signs of an improving economy.