Public housing residents in Melbourne have broken down in tears as they claim that food supplies are dangerously low and people could die from starvation. 

Nine towers in Flemington and North Melbourne have been locked down in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus with 3,000 people unable to leave their apartments for any reason for at least five days.

The Melbourne government has said that it has distributed 3,000 meals, 1,000 food hampers and 250 personal care packs to residents and the charity FareShare has provided more than 3,000 prepared meals and 4,500 pastries.

Debbie Harrison, who is caring for her 83-year-old mother Ivy at a housing unit in North Melbourne has said that they have only been given four sausage rolls to eat in 48 hours.

"They are just going to go in the bin, we're not touching them," Ms Harrison told A Current Affair.

"Yesterday, I was fine. Today, it's just not fair."

Her mother is more worried about her children and great-grandchildren.

"I want things to be what they used to be, I've never known anything like this in my 83 years, never," she said. 

Other residents say they have been left in the dark when it comes to supplies and testing.

"There's been no communication, they don't tell you anything," resident Brian told The Sydney Morning Herald. 

Meals have been delivered but have been left in the corridors and eventually have turned rotten.

"I can't eat it because I'm no gluten or anything like that, but the other people - you couldn't eat it, no way," he said. 

Fresh groceries have been donated by Coles and delivered by firefighters and police officers, which is a relief to residents.

"It's a relief, even if people aren't being told about it. But there's still a lot of uncertainty and still a low of people worried," he said.

Victorian Council of Social Services CEO Emma King said that she is concerned that culturally appropriate meals were not being provided by the government.

"We need to make sure we're hearing directly from the residents on the estate around what they need and making sure we deliver on that," she told AAP.

She also noted that residents were given copies of the public health orders or "detention directives" but the wording has sparked confusion over the term "lockdown" which could last as long as 14 days.

"Any of us, to have police on your doorstep, handing a detention notice we can't understand, it would be really frightening," she said.

"It is a very fine, precarious balance. We need to save lives first and foremost but we need to make sure people get the support that they need and they aren't terrified through the process."