The Illinois Department of Public Health reports there were 1,598 new confirmed cases of coronavirus across the state Wednesday with 23 additional confirmed deaths. The Lawrence County Health Department Wednesday reported 2 more positive tests of county residents-a male age 36 and a female age 46. Both are in home quarantine with contact tracing underway. The new cases bring the county total to 36 with 29 of those active and 7 recovered. There have been no deaths. Overall there have been 165,301 cases of the disease in Illinois since the pandemic began with 7,347 deaths in all 102 counties. State health officials are asking young people across Illinois to be cautious in preventing spread of the virus and minimize the risk through the wearing of masks and social distancing.