Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order Thursday to assist the state in responding to the avian flu, extending the state of disaster emergency.

The avian flu, also known as the bird flu or the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, is a disease that spreads rapidly among birds with a mortality rate of over 90%. The disease wiped out 65% of Colorado’s egg-laying chickens as of August. 

Polis previously declared a disaster emergency for the avian flu on April 29, extending it in May and June before it expired on July 25. Polis reissued the disaster emergency on Sept. 21, the day after the avian flu was identified in a commercial facility in Weld County, affecting approximately 1.1 million birds.

Since then, the avian flu has been identified in five additional sites in Mesa, Weld, Boulder, Larimer and La Plata counties, with the most recent case confirmed on Oct. 7.

“Depopulation of the facility is required,” the executive order read. “The United States Department of Agriculture has limited staff to support depopulation activities and requires the support of State agencies, including the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.”

Under the disaster declaration, state agencies are able to coordinate their efforts regarding spread mitigation, response, consequence management and recovery. With the extension, the disaster declaration is now scheduled to expire in 30 days.

The avian flu was first detected in the United States among wild birds in January, and spread to domestic poultry by February. The disease reached Colorado in March, having been confirmed in 17 counties by September, affecting millions of birds in wild, domestic and commercial flocks.

In late April, a Colorado man became the first person in the country to test positive for the disease.