Connecticut has identified the first mosquitoes trapped this year that have tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES).
The mosquitos were trapped in New Haven, Stamford, Darien, and Fairfield on July 18 and 19.
In all, five mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus.
"The current warm weather and high humidity provides ideal conditions for mosquito activity and West Nile virus transmission," said Philip Armstrong, medical entomologist at the CAES. "We anticipate further build-up of the virus from now through September."
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
West Nile virus can be transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus can be fatal, but most experience mild symptoms. Some can experience serious symptoms, including neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, vision loss, numbness, and paralysis, according to the CDC.
To reduce the risk of becoming infected, state experts urge people to use mosquito repellant, minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active, and wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outside for long periods of time.
Last season, West Nile virus was detected in mosquitoes in 43 cities and towns across Connecticut. Six confirmed human cases were also reported last year, according to CAES.
