Two cases of measles have been confirmed in school-aged children in West Texas less than two weeks after the highly contagious respiratory illness was also reported in a pair of Houston residents. The children are residents of Gaines County who have not received the vaccine that protects against measles,

Measles has returned to Texas, with two cases confirmed in Houston last week. No cases have been found in Central Texas, but measles is a worry for health officials, causing Austin Public Health and the Texas Department of State Health Services to issue alerts.

Two school-age children from Gaines County who had measles were hospitalized in Lubbock, state officials said.

The Houston Health Department has confirmed two measles cases in adults linked to recent international travel. Both individuals live in the same household and have unknown vaccination

Two of the cases have been reported in Lubbock, a first in more than 20 years. Meanwhile, measles vaccination rates in Texas have fallen over the last four years.