We are in uncharted territory as a South African surgical community. The COVID-19 outbreak has been declared a global pandemic by the WHO and our South African President has appropriately responded by declaring a “national state of disaster” in order to activate national procedures.

COVID-19 is a rapidly expanding global challenge, placing a huge burden on healthcare systems. There is no evidence to inform the management of surgical patients with COVID-19 infection. Capturing real-world data and sharing international experience will support the management of this complex group of patients, improving their clinical care.