Mosquitoes in 19 Connecticut communities have tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the state Department of Public Health.
The virus has been identified in Bridgeport, Cheshire, Chester, Darien, East Haven, Glastonbury, Greenwich, Groton, Guilford, Hartford, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, Stonington, Stratford, Waterford, West Haven, Westport and Wethersfield.
No human cases of West Nile have been reported so far this year.
State health officials are urging residents to take precautions in an effort to avoid contracting the virus.
"The current warm weather provides favorable conditions for the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus," said Dr. Philip Armstrong, medical entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, in a statement Thursday. "These mosquitoes are most active at nighttime when temperatures are higher than average."
Most people who are infected with West Nile develop a mild illness that may include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting or a skin rash, according to the CAES.
Less frequently, people develop severe illness of the nervous system that can also include neck stiffness, disorientation, loss of consciousness, tremors, muscle weakness and paralysis.
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People older than 50 years of age are more likely than younger people to suffer the more severe health consequences if they become infected.
Learn more about West Nile virus and mosquito management:
