File photo: VCG

BRUSSELS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The unemployment rate in the 19-member euro area continued to rise in July, a month marked by some relaxation of COVID-19 containment measures in many members of the European Union (EU), showed the figures released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, on Tuesday.

The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in the euro area was 7.9 percent in July, up from 7.7 percent in the previous month, said Eurostat.

The unemployment rate in the whole EU area was 7.2 percent in July, higher than 7.1 percent in June, it added.

Among some 15.2 million unemployed in the EU, 2.9 million were aged under 25. The youth unemployment rate was 17 percent in the EU and 17.3 percent in the euro area, up from 16.9 percent and 17.2 percent respectively in June, showing continued deterioration of the employment situation.

Among EU member states, the lowest unemployment rates in July were recorded in the Czech Republic, at 2.7 percent, followed by Poland, at 3.2 percent. The highest unemployment rates were observed in Spain, at 15.8 percent, followed by Italy, at 9.7 percent.