But county health department workers will not pick up any more dead birds, nor will the state run more tests on them.

There's not much reason, officials say. The disease is here. But no one in Erie County has contracted the disease, much less died of it. It is better to take precautions, they say.

"The state said don't bother. Once you found out you have West Nile, what's the sense of continuing to send birds in for testing? We already know Erie County has West Nile. We don't need to test anymore," said Kevin Montgomery, the county health department's public information officer.

So far this summer, seven dead birds in Erie County have tested positive for the West Nile virus: two crows from Depew; a crow from Lancaster; a blue jay in East Concord; and three birds in Buffalo - including two crows and an American kestrel. As a bird of prey, the American kestrel is of particular interest to scientists and officials.

"We're wondering if the kestrel, a member of the hawk family, could have gotten it from an infected mosquito or by feeding on an infested crow," Montgomery said.

At the request of state officials, the county health department has stopped transporting the dead birds to the Wadsworth Center in Albany, a state lab that tests for everything from tainted water supplies to rabies. Instead, county residents are asked to dispose of dead birds themselves and take other precautions.

"If the state tested all 758 birds, they wouldn't be able to test for anything else," Montgomery said.

No one in Erie County has contracted or died from the disease. In fact, only five human cases of West Nile have been reported this year in New York, and all were down state, according to the state Health Department.

Public health officials also are urging people to keep the virus in perspective, to look at the bigger picture.

"The reality is, we're not going to get rid of the virus," said Dr. Anthony Billittier, the county's health commissioner. "West Nile has been here for the last three years, but it lays dormant and is very unpredictable."

Billittier suggested that the public not lose sight of the fact that there are many viruses and other public health issues in the community that are much more likely to affect people than West Nile virus.

"People hop in their cars and drive to the emergency room. They're more at risk on the drive to the emergency room than from the mosquito bite by far," Billittier said. "More people die every day from heart attacks and car crashes."

Jeffrey Hammond, press secretary for Erie County Executive Joel A. Giambra, also urged some perspective.

"It's important to note that the elderly and aging are most susceptible to the virus, people who have weaker immune systems," he said "But for most healthy people, you would have mild flulike symptoms for a few days, but it'll pass."

Nonetheless, Hammond offered some advice for disposing of dead birds.

"Don't pick it up with your bare hands, and don't bring it inside," Hammond said. When disposing of a dead bird, use a shovel or gloves to pick up the bird, place it in a plastic bag, tie it up and double bag it, then dispose of it in an outside garbage can, he added.

Dead birds are not the only reason health officials say the disease has reached Erie County.

Mosquito pools in several towns have tested positive, as well.

Just this week, two standing bodies of water in the Town of Tonawanda's Kenney Field came up positive after the county tested them, Montgomery said. Town officials were notified Thursday afternoon, and the county will offer materials and help in larvicizing the areas.

Since the discovery of an infected mosquito pool about two weeks ago, Grand Island workers have larvicized all of the town's streets, roads, and storm water drains with pellets they got from the county.

Pellets are dropped in storm drains and into standing bodies of water, said Supervisor Peter A. McMahon.

"If there's water there, the pellets dissolve gradually and kill the mosquito larva. If a storm drain is dry, then obviously there are no mosquitoes. But if water comes through, it kills the larva," McMahon added.

Days after the virus was identified on Grand Island, Clarence officials learned that a mosquito pool in Main Street Park tested positive for the virus. Instead of using the pellets supplied by the county, Clarence officials are using a spray form of larvicide.

"We had our own aggressive plan for spraying the storm drainage. And what we've done since then is try to educate people," said Supervisor Kathleen Hallock.

Clarence officials are telling residents to use the same precautions recommended by Erie County.

"Remove stagnant water, and you won't have mosquitoes reproducing," Hallock said. "Consider using a mosquito repellent. Make sure screens are on windows and doors, and wear long sleeve shirts and long pants when mosquitoes are active. And minimize outdoor activity between dusk and dawn."

Residents also are asked to call the West Nile virus hotline at (866) 537-2473 when they find a dead bird so that county and state officials can keep track of the sitings.

"We're not testing them anymore, but it's still important for people to report the dead birds," Montgomery said. "The state will conduct a study and track all the locations to geo-code it on a map."