WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers advertised slightly more job openings in October but hiring slipped as a resurgence of COVID-19 threatens an economic recovery.

Job postings rose to 6.65 million in October from 6.49 million in September, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. But employers hired 5.81 million workers, down from 5.89 million in September.

The American job market has been slowly healing since it collapsed in the spring when the coronavirus pandemic struck the United States hard. Employers slashed 22 million jobs in March and April, then began recalling furloughed employees back to work. But the job rebound has been slowing and is threatened by a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.