The UK remains under lockdown for a 21-day period in a bid to ‘delay’ the spread of coronavirus - with experts warnining the worst of the virus will take hold within the next fortnight.

The country is expected to reach a peak number of cases by Easter, which falls on April 12, England’s deputy chief medical officer has said.

As questions from readers continue to rise about the pandemic - we've got the answers from the experts.

When will the number of cases peak?

The number of coronavirus cases are predicted to rise for “two to three weeks”, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, Dr Jenny Harries, has said.

These numbers will then fall if people in the UK follow the guidelines the government has issued during the lockdown.

These include only leaving your home for specific and essential reasons, including infrequent shopping for basic necessities, one form of exercise per day, medical needs, or to go to work, if this cannot be done from home.

Dr Harries said that if such measures are strictly observed, a decline in the number of cases should follow after the initial peak.

She said: “If people have cut down their social interactions, we would start to see a change in the graph.

“The peak will be pushed forward, but the height will be lower and we can manage NHS hospital care safely.”

Why will the number of cases peak over Easter?

The social distancing measures put in place by the government have been designed to “move the peak”, according to Dr Harries.

Health experts initially said the worst of the virus spread would occur between late May and late June, with an estimated 95 per cent of infections predicted in this timeframe.

However, Public Health England (PHE) later showed there would be a slow growth of new coronavirus cases every day, and these cases were expected to spike dramatically.

However, Dr Harries has now said this peak will happen sooner if the public follow the government’s advice to stay at home.

Taking seasonal elements into account, the UK is now predicted to reach a peak number of cases throughout March and April, with slightly warmer temperatures creating the perfect breeding ground for the virus.

Why is the UK ‘delaying’ the spread?

The UK is currently in the ‘delay’ phase of its coronavirus response, meaning it is too late to contain it, so efforts are instead being made to slow the spread.

This will allow health officials to cope when the number of cases peaks, relieving some pressure on medical staff.

Experts who are studying the spread of the virus in Italy believe that the UK is around two weeks behind, prompting the Prime Minister to impose a lockdown and strict social distancing guidelines in an effort to slow infection rates down.

In Germany, the coronavirus infection curve is now believed to have flattened, according to the country’s public health chief.

The upward trend in coronavirus cases appears to be levelling off in the country, largely thanks to the social distancing measures that were instigated to deal with the outbreak.

Lothar Wieler, head of Germany’s health institute, said: “We are seeing signs that the exponential growth curve is flattening off slightly."