NEW ULM — As cold weather and another holiday season approaches, include more indoor activities allow viruses to pass from person to person more easily. Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough, is on the rise in Minnesota, according to Brown County Public Health Director Jaimee Brand. The number of reported cases this year in Minnesota — 2,814 — is the highest number of reported cases since 2012. Cases are beginning to show up in rural counties. There is one reported case in Brown, Watonwan and Cottonwood Counties as of Thursday, Dec. 19, according to the Minnesota Department of ...