FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — More than 275,000 Kentucky residents have filed for unemployment benefits in the past three weeks. The surge comes as the coronavirus pandemic causes widespread economic damage. The U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday that more than 117,000 Kentuckians filed unemployment claims last week. It was an increase of nearly 4,000 people from the prior week. Nationwide, 16.8 million Americans filed for unemployment aid in the past three weeks. Like elsewhere, Kentucky’s unemployment benefit enrollment system has been overwhelmed by surging numbers of applicants. Kentucky dramatically increased the number of employees handling unemployment insurance claims.