AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) New unemployment claims rose slightly in Maine last week as the coronavirus pandemic continued to complicate the jobs picture in the state and around the country.

The Maine Department of Labor reported 1,600 initial claims for state unemployment insurance for the week that ended March 27. That was an increase from 1,400 claims the previous week.

The agency also reported 400 initial claims for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance during the same week. That number increased from 300 the previous week. However, the total number of people who filed an initial claim or reopened a claim fell from 2,500 to 2,400.

Nationally, the number of unemployment benefits claims rose by 61,000 last week to 719,000.

Maine’s unemployment rate was 4.8% for February, which was more than it was in February 2020, but less than the national rate of 6.2 percent.