WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply last week but remained high by historical standards.

Applications for benefits declined 111,000 from the previous week to a seasonally adjusted 730,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.

It is the lowest figure since late November.

Before the virus erupted in the United States last March, weekly applications for unemployment benefits had never topped 700,000, even during the Great Recession of 2008-2009.