Distinguished journalist Antonis Panoutsos is hospitalized in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit of “Evangelismos” hospital, fighting a fierce battle for his life after serious complications caused by West Nile virus infection .
The 78-year-old journalist was rushed to the emergency department on July 15 with a high fever and severe symptoms , with the treating doctors immediately suspecting encephalitis — a dangerous inflammation of the brain.
Specialized laboratory tests confirmed that he had been infected with the virus, which is transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes and is capable of causing severe neurological damage, especially in older people. Since then, he has remained intubated in the ICU , with the medical team continuously monitoring the progress of his health.
Born in 1948 in Gallipoli, Piraeus and originally from Hydra, Antonis Panoutsos is an emblematic and multidimensional personality of Greek journalism , having written a remarkable career spanning decades in the printed and electronic press. He left his mark with his distinctive writing on historical newspapers such as “Fos ton Spor” , “Filatlos” , “To Vima” and “SPORTDAY” , while he was also a pioneer in the field of special publications, creating the magazines “Moto” and “Oz” .
He was particularly loved by the general public through his television co-hosting with Antonis Karpetopoulos , standing out for his witty, caustic humor and subversive perspective on shows such as the legendary “Tora Tora Tora” . At the same time, he tried his hand at politics as a candidate for parliament with New Democracy in 2019 and then offered his services as a special consultant for planning an information program at ERT .
The news of his hospitalization has caused deep emotion and anxiety in the journalistic world and public opinion, who anxiously await positive developments in the difficult battle he is fighting.
