The Baxter International factory in Marion, N.C., about 35 miles outside of Asheville, was evacuated right before the worst of the storm passed, according to social media posts from employees. It’s now shut down and covered in mud — like a lot of western North Carolina. Bridges leading to the facility were also badly damaged.
The facility is one of the largest suppliers of IV fluids in the country, the Food and Drug Administration says. Baxter says it will spare no expense to get the factory back online, but the company doesn’t “have a timeline for when operations will be back up and running.”
The plant’s closure, which could last weeks or even months based on similar situations in the past, could strain the supply of vital health care products.
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