A man was shot dead during a confrontation with the police in the Dominican Republic on Monday night after he defied a curfew imposed for the outbreak of coronavirus.

Edwin Cespedes was outside his home when he was approached by a National Police unit that was enforcing a nationwide evening lockdown order.

A witness told local press that the 30-year-old tussled with at least four officers who attempted to placed him under arrest.

Edwin Cespedes was allegedly shot dead by a cop aboard a motorcycle during the 30-year-old man's confrontation with members of the National Police in the municipality of Azua. Witnesses said Cespedes tussled with the cops when they attempted to place him in a pickup truck Monday after he was found roaming outside his home past the 8pm curfew

The National Police has registered more than 5,000 arrests since last Friday, when the government of the Dominican Republic imposed a curfew to stem the coronavirus outbreak

The witness added that a motorcycle police unit then showed up and that one of cops fired the shot that struck Cespedes in the head before fleeing the scene.

Cespedes was transported to Taiwan Regional Hospital, where he was declared dead.

No arrests had been made as of Tuesday evening despite mounting pressure from friends and family members, who said the police knew the identity of the cop who fired the fatal shot.

President Danilo Medina imposed a curfew last Friday as a measure to prevent and control the deadly coronavirus disease, which has produced six deaths and 312 confirmed cases

The Dominican government put the curfew in place last Friday and bans all non-essential workers from leaving their homes after from 8pm to 6am.

The decree is scheduled to be lifted April 3. The police has registered more than 5,000 arrests during the first three nights.

Officials believe having the curfew in place will stem the rise of the coronavirus which has caused six deaths in the island nation of 10.8 million.

The government's health ministry has reported 312 positive cases. At least three people have recovered.

The pandemic is responsible for the deaths of more than 18,500 across the globe. More than 415,000 cases have been confirmed in 169 countries.