U.S. tops 5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, to Europe's alarm

The U.S. has so far more than five million COVID-19 infections and over 165,000 deaths – both totals are the highest of any country in the world. The failure of the U.S. to contain the scourge has been met with astonishment and alarm in Europe.

Perhaps nowhere outside the U.S. is America's bungled virus response viewed with more consternation than in Italy, which was unprepared when the outbreak exploded in February. But after a strict nationwide, 10-week lockdown, vigilant tracing of new clusters and general acceptance of mask mandates and social distancing, Italy has become a model of virus containment.