BRUSSELS, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The unemployment rate in the 19-member Euro area hit a new high in May due to the lockdown measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus, according to Eurostat on Thursday.
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in the Euro area was 7.4 percent in May, up from 7.3 percent in April, said Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union (EU).
The EU unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in May, also higher than one month before, it added.
The EU statistical office said the wave of job losses has affected women and the youth the most.
Among some 12 million unemployed in the Euro area, 2.3 million were aged under 25. The youth unemployment rate in the area was 16 percent, much higher than the average.
In the Euro area, the unemployment rate for women increased from 7.7 percent in April to 7.9 percent in May while it remained stable at 7.0 percent for men, said Eurostat.
Europe was identified as the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 13, and EU member states have introduced restriction measures, significantly affecting daily economic life. Enditem
