The Democratic Republic of Congo is battling an Ebola outbreak centred in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, where scientists are working around the clock to test blood samples. Ethnic tensions between farming and herding communities are fuelling mistrust, delaying testing and hampering containment efforts. Health officials are working to cut laboratory result times from 48 hours to as little as one hour by deploying testing machines to major treatment centres. There are cautious signs of progress, with more patients seeking treatment, falling death rates and improving recovery numbers. Al Jazeera's Catherine Soi reports from Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #Ebola #DRC #EbolaOutbreak2026 #EbolaSafeBurials #DRCongo #SouthKivu #NorthKivu #Ituri #Bunia #EbolaEpidemic #BundibugyoEbolaoutbreak #BundibugyoStrain #AlJazeeraEnglish