Health officials on Tuesday said an addition 20 cases of measles have been reported in Texas, driving the state's total to nearly 300.

In what could become a spiraling health crisis for the state, public health officials in Lamar County on Thursday announced four confirmed cases of measles. Paris-Lamar County Health District officials said the extremely contagious virus had been diagnosed in four patients who range in age from 5 months to adulthood.

Texas health officials reported 20 more measles cases on Tuesday, increasing the total seen amid the outbreak to 279.