A measles outbreak in western Texas is growing, with health officials reporting a new case confirmed in the neighboring state of New Mexico.

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) confirmed Tuesday a measles case in a teenager in Lea County, which borders Texas.

However, health officials noted, "The New Mexico youth had no recent travel or exposure to known cases from the Texas outbreak," according to a news release from the NMDOH.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 24 measles cases have been identified in the past two weeks in Texas, mostly in Gaines County. Nine patients have been hospitalized, Texas health officials said Tuesday.

The NMDOH alerted Lea County residents of potential exposure sites in Lovington, where the sick patient had visited, including the Nor-Lea Hospital Emergency Department on Sunday between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and the Sixth Grade Academy gymnasium on Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that measles is highly contagious, with as many as nine out of 10 individuals contracting the virus if exposed. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours.

According to the health department, Measles symptoms usually occur seven to 21 days after a person is exposed and can include fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, followed by a red spotted rash. Complications can include diarrhea, ear infections, and pneumonia.