Operations at the supermarket giant's Melbourne Produce Distribution Centre and Melbourne National Distribution Centre were suspended on Monday after 12 staff members tested positive for COVID-19 at the weekend.

A Woolworths spokesperson said the organisation had experienced some delays with stock deliveries to stores as it transitioned fruit and vegetable orders to alternative distribution centres.

The spokesperson expected fruit and vegetable stock levels to start to improve across the Victorian network from Tuesday afternoon, with orders picked and en route to stores.

"We know it's frustrating when customers can't get all the products they need in a shop and we apologise for the inconvenience," they said.

"We'll continue working hard behind the scenes to improve product availability through these alternative sites over the coming days."

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Woolworths had been notified of a total of 17 confirmed COVID-19 cases linked to the Melbourne Produce Distribution Centre and Melbourne National Distribution Centre from July 13 to Monday.

It said the decision to suspend operations at the sites was a precautionary measure.

The organisation on Monday said it was working with the Department of Health and Human services to determine when the distribution centres could resume operations.

Woolworths said both sites had been forensically cleaned.

Meanwhile, it was using "temporary measures" to deliver produce from alternate distribution centres.

"All other Victorian distribution centres remain open and continue to dispatch stock deliveries to stores as normal," a Woolworths spokesperson said on Monday.

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