State labor officials say more than 50,000 Missourians filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week. While still a high number, it marked the third straight week of declines in claims.
More than 495,000 people have filed new unemployment claims since March 21.
St. Joseph officials say an employee of a Missouri pork plant where hundreds of workers tested positive for the coronavirus has died from the virus. The city said the man, who worked at Triumph Foods in St. Joseph, had underlying health conditions.
Missouri on Thursday reported 9,341 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, which is 239 more than on Wednesday. Missouri's COVID-19 death toll rose by 22, to 418.