NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard and chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant have warned the upcoming flu season could exacerbate the spread of coronavirus.

The upcoming flu season could exacerbate the spread and effect of coronavirus in NSW, state health authorities have warned.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Thursday said the state and commonwealth governments have planned for a potential COVID-19 pandemic which could converge with the winter flu season.

"We could see a convergence in the next eight to 10 weeks of a flu season and the coronavirus, and that may be an issue that the consequences of are still being determined," he told reporters in Sydney.

With COVID-19 outbreaks in South Korea, Iran and Italy, the NSW government acknowledged a pandemic was possible.

"We need to be extremely aware of the increasing likelihood of a problem arising such as we would possibly declare a pandemic," Mr Hazzard said.

"But at this point that is not absolute."

The health minister noted NSW and Australia have a pandemic plan which has not yet been activated and still being worked on.

The NSW pandemic plan notes schools, warehouses, convention centres, hotels or sports arenas may be used to quarantine patients.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant insisted people would generally be quarantined in their homes or other accommodation facilities.

Coronavirus patients are unlikely to require quarantining in stadiums.

"We wouldn't be anticipating the need to use those facilities with what we're facing in terms of the COVID-19," Dr Chant told reporters on Wednesday.

Dr Chant added NSW had started planning for a surge in people with respiratory conditions at hospital emergency departments.