Labor Department officials say the number of people applying for jobless benefits in New Jersey last week fell to just over 20,000, a 21% drop compared with the prior week.

The state’s jobless claims have soared to more than 1.5 million, primarily because of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Last week also marked a sharp drop in how much the state paid out in benefits, falling to $316 million.

The drop reflects the July 25 expiration of a federal $600 weekly benefit for all unemployed residents. Labor officials say typically the state paid out about $500 million weekly.