Economics

Coronavirus Could Send Italy Into Recession, Official Warns

Deputy finance minister sounds alarm in Bloomberg interview
2020 growth target of 0.6% at risk amid global slowdown

Tourist wearing a protective respiratory mask tour outside the Colosseo monument in Rome. on Feb. 1. — Tourist wearing a protective respiratory mask tour outside the Colosseo monument in Rome. on Feb. 1.
Photographer: Andrea Pirri/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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By John Follain and Ben Sills

February 13, 2020 at 4:00 AM UTC

Updated on

February 13, 2020 at 2:02 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Italy is in danger of missing its already unambitious growth targets for 2020 because of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a senior government official.

“The impact of the coronavirus risks being significantly negative on the global economy and also on Italy,” Deputy Finance Minister Antonio Misiani said in an interview in Rome on Wednesday. “It’s become more complicated now to reach the government target of 0.6% growth in the budget.”