As we are confronted by a new global health epidemic in the form of COVID-19, the challenges and opportunities of global data sharing come into sharp focus. Due to significant data collection and sharing issues during the 2013–2016 Ebola outbreak, the WHO recently called for improvements before the next public health emergency occurred. While it is too early to quantify the role of standardised data collection and sharing in containing the spread of COVID-19, it is possible to identify some of the data tactics used as part of the medical community’s initial response.