There’s been only a handful of Ebola outbreaks to get into the low 3 digits. At most, only a few hundred ever recovered from it. More people have Ebola in this outbreak than all previous outbreaks combined.
I think the spread is due to the outbreak occurring near well traveled areas, so it simultaneously spread to neighboring areas....4 of them if I read it correctly.
In prior outbreaks they were able to isolate it from traveling or it isolated it’s self by occurring in a area where travel was not as prevalent.
I don’t believe this indicates any change in the virus. It just popped up in a different place, but with the same social customs of close contact with the sick or dead family members.