LAGOS: At least 71 people have been confirmed dead and other 746 lying critically ill of a yet to be diagnosed disease in northeast Nigeria`s Adamawa State, the Nigerian Tribune newspaper reported on Friday.

Bubakari Musa Kamale, state commissioner for information, confirmed the death toll, saying the nature of the disease has not been determined.

The official said the state government is waiting for the outcome of the specimen sent for analysis. The epidemic has continued unabated for the past weeks, he said, ruling out the outbreak of cholera.

"This is a strange disease that is characterized by excessive vomiting, diarrhea, high fever and in some instances, coughing," said the commissioner.

According to Kamale, the samples have since been sent for analysis to teaching hospitals in southwest Nigeria`s Oyo State and northern Borno State, as well as to France and the United States.

He said the state government had taken measures to arrest the situation from spreading by providing drugs to the Health Ministry for administration in the affected areas.