"Many Europeans are asking if Americans even care about their people's own health, as they have watched in astonishment at the world's most powerful country faltering in its response to the coronavirus pandemic. Italians, Germans and residents of other European nations who were hit the hardest by the coronavirus outbreak in February said they are disappointed, saddened and even frightened by the United States' COVID-19 response. Public health experts and everyday residents said they "always saw America as a model" for the world, but the pandemic has exposed a country with horrendous infrastructure and no coherent public health system. Several European doctors agreed with their U.S. counterparts in saying Americans' individualist spirit has backfired and led the country to the top of both infection and death toll lists. We Italians always saw America as a model," said Massimo Franco, columnist with daily Corriere della Sera newspaper. "But with this virus we've discovered a country that is very fragile, with bad infrastructure and a public health system that is nonexistent." Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza, one of the country's top public health officials, outright condemned President Donald Trump and Washington lawmakers' response to the virus as "wrong." Italy now sees about 150 to 300 new cases nationwide each day, down from the 6,500 daily the country recorded on March 21. In the U.S., there are about 54,000 new cases a day — which is a higher number proportionally when its larger population is factored into consideration."