Rourkela: A professor of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, has died of COVID-19 in Sundargarh district of Odisha.The death of NIT professor was officially announced by the State Health & Family Welfare Department today.The deceased has been identified as Samarjit Sarkar, the Professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department in country’s premier institution.The 52-year-old Professor was infected with the coronavirus a few days ago following which he was admitted to the Hi-Tech COVID Hospital in Rourkela for treatment. He was shifted to the Jaiprakash Hospital on August 13 after his health condition deteriorated. However, the doctors failed to save him from the virus and he died in the wee hours of Sunday.As per death details shared by the Health & Family Welfare Department, the COVID-19 patient succumbed to the virus in Sundargarh district in the last 24 hours was also suffering from uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease.Source said that his last rites have been performed at Vedvyas in Rourkela.Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 cases has increased to 3,258 in Sundargarh district with 136 new positive cases reported in the last 24 hours. There are 1253 active cases and 1979 COVID patients have recovered from the disease so far. With fatality of the Professor due to COVID-19, the deadly virus has claimed 22 lives in the district.