State epidemiologist Dr. Paul Effler today got the final test results from the CDC lab in Fort Collins, Colo. "We're very pleased that the test result is negative," he said.

But Effler cautioned that the state must remain vigilant in mosquito control and monitoring for dead birds, which are considered an early warning that the mosquito-borne disease has been imported to the Islands.

"West Nile virus is still a potential threat to Hawai'i, as the disease continues to spread throughout the Mainland and particularly on the West Coast," he said. Only Hawai'i, Alaska and Washington have not reported cases.

A live wild sparrow that was captured on Maui had tested positive in preliminary tests run by the state Health Department that came back on Friday. The bird was trapped as part of an unrelated effort to keep birds off the runway as a safety issue. Effler said the bird was killed later.