Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa is seeing a “staggering” number of claims for unemployment benefits as the coronavirus pummels the state and national economy, officials said Friday.

The job losses are piling up as Iowa, like other states across the country, has taken moves to limit the spread of the virus by ordering the closure of restaurants, bars and other gathering spots and encouraged people to stay at home. To alleviate some of the pain of those moves, Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday signed a state emergency declaration designed to offer an array of relief to Iowa residents.

Speaking with Reynolds at a news conference, Beth Townsend, director of Iowa Workforce Development, said the daily number of unemployment claims being filed is similar to what the agency would receive in a busy month.

“We are seeing an unprecedented number of claims,” Townsend said. “It’s pretty staggering to see the number of claims we’re receiving.”

Townsend declined to give specific numbers but said those would be released next week. People with questions about filing for unemployment should go to the agency’s website or call, she said.

Because of the surge in applicants, it can take up to a half hour to get help on the phone, but starting Monday the agency would shift 162 employees from other duties to help take calls, Townsend said.

The upheaval caused by the virus has prompted Reynolds to declare the state emergency, which includes the temporary suspension of penalties and interest on late property tax payments, prevents some home evictions and allows bars and restaurants to sell unopened bottles of alcohol for consumption off premises.

The declaration, which takes effect immediately, runs through April 16. For that period, Iowa concealed-carry gun permits will not expire and regulations requiring in-person delivery of concealed-carry permit applications are suspended.

The declaration also relaxes transportation regulations, making it easier to transport agricultural supplies and commodities, food, medical supplies, cleaning products and other household goods.

On Friday, the state reported there had been one additional case of coronavirus, bringing the state total to 45.

For most people, COVID-19 causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

Although the state has increased staffing at its hygienic laboratory and can process more tests, officials are still struggling to get enough test kits, chemicals and swabs, said Sarah Reisetter, deputy director of the Iowa Department of Public Health.

“We are working to expand testing capacity in our state and we’re working on that every single day,” Reisetter said. “We do fully expect at some point in time for testing capacity to expand and at that point in time tests might be available to more Iowans.”

Until then, she said, the available tests needed to go to people who are hospitalized.

The state’s response to the outbreak came as officials announced a dental student is the first COVID-19 case reported on the University of Iowa campus.

A patient seen by the student when the student was symptomatic has been notified, university officials said, as have other students with whom he came in contact. The dentistry student is in isolation off campus.