Italy's economically-punishing coronavirus lockdown, combined with big-spend stimulus packages to support families and firms, will push public debt and deficit to dizzying heights, the government said Friday. The cabinet approved the spring budget document (DEF), which forecast that the eurozone's third-largest economy would plunge into a deep recession this year, with gross domestic product retracting by eight percent. The government said it would widen the budget deficit by 55 billion euros ($59 billion) in light of the coronavirus. Rome estimated that the public deficit would rise to 10.4 percent of GDP -- a mammoth leap from the 2.2 percent expected before the pandemic hit, and the 1.6 percent recorded in 2019. Public debt will jump to 155.7 percent of GDP, up from the pre-virus outbreak forecast of 135.2 percent, and the 134.8 percent recorded in 2019. ide/ams/lc