Study this figure carefully:
Attachment 7226 (Adapted from
here, and discussed
here).
The information contained here and its implications do not hinge upon whether or not different countries report with different standards.
Now look at some data I just plotted for Texas (using the latest data from
here).
Do you see the nature of the problem? The data I just showed is a week or two behind the actual curve.
Imagine tracing your finger up a log scale at a steady velocity. That's how this thing grows unless checked. And the figures we're seeing now aren't current. It's *kind of* like looking at a distant star - the information received is lagged by the speed of light.