Coronavirus is mutating: Chinese scientists find a second strain of Covid-19

If either, does it distinguish between the two for independent reporting?

the virus uses RNA to keep its code, RNA is error prone.

so the code shifts gradually everytime it replicates, usually its not a big deal, but if by chance just the right point mutation, or a long series of them accumulate, there can be major changes in the character of the virus, such as how catching is it, what cells it goes after, what kind of animals/hosts it can infect.