Measles has sickened nearly 150 mostly unvaccinated people in rural West Texas, and a school-age child has died. The virus is spreading among Gaines County’s Mennonite community, where government mandates are not trusted.

Kennedy's acknowledgement of the value of the measles vaccine comes as the outbreak that began in Texas continues to grow. So far, nearly 150 cases and one death—the first U.S. fatality from the disease in more than 10 years—have been confirmed. It's the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. in decades.