Two children were hospitalized with measles in West Texas the same month the highly contagious respiratory illness was also found in two Houston residents.

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 of the four cases are in Lubbock, which hasn’t seen a case in more than 20 years. Measles vaccination rates in Texas have fallen over the last four years.

Measles spreads through the air. You don't even have to rub up on someone to catch it, which makes things much worse. Measles can live up to 2 hours in the airspace where an infected person has coughed or sneezed. When other people breathe the air or touch a tainted surface and then touch their nose, mouth, or eyes, they too can become infected.

Texas reports a minor measles outbreak due to low vaccination rates. Health officials urge vaccinations to prevent the spread.

The cases have led the Texas Department of State Health Services to issue a health alert for Texas. According to Newsweek, for some counties in Texas, it's been at least 20 years since they have seen a case of measles.

The health department announced Friday that the two cases, in adults who live in the same household and have unknown vaccination statuses, are linked to international travel. Contract tracing is being conducted.

Texas sees first measles cases since 2023, with confirmed cases in Harris and Lubbock counties, highlighting the importance of vaccination.

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

Two cases were reported in Harris County, and an additional two were in Lubbock, according to The Texas Tribune.