State officials are warning Connecticut residents about the increased risk of infection as nearly two dozen towns have detected West Nile virus in mosquitoes.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station reported a total of 23 towns in Connecticut have reported mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus.

West Nile virus has been detected in: Branford, Bridgeport, Cornwall, Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, Hartford, Ledyard, Meriden, Milford, New Canaan, New Haven, Newington, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Wallingford, Waterbury, Waterford, West Haven, Westport, Wilton, Woodstock.

The 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.