Dean M Raveendran's act, since gone viral, happened during a function organised to celebrate the World Nurses Day and received wide appreciation. Officials and nurses had placed a photograph of Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing, to pay floral tributes on the hospital premises. 

A group of nurses gathered at the entrance to welcome Raveendran, who became so emotional that he suddenly prostrated before them. 

"At the present critical situation, you are the Gods," he told them. 

The photographs and video of the incident had gone viral receiving appreciation from the nurses in various hospitals and the general public. 

Coimbatore is one of the districts in the state with a high caseload of coronavirus, reporting 2,636 new COVID cases on Wednesday, even as the state recorded a staggering 30,355 fresh infections. 

The western district has 15,178 active cases, including those under home treatment, according to government figures.