The Mennonite population being affected by a measles outbreak in West Texas is part of a larger, loosely affiliated group of churches worldwide with varied beliefs and leadership structures — and with sometimes strained or distant relations with public authorities.

Texas officials on Wednesday announced the first measles death in the state's ongoing outbreak of the highly contagious disease. The death, of a school-age child, is the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Mennonite population being affected by a measles outbreak in West Texas is part of a larger, loosely affiliated group of churches worldwide.