Sixty-six percent of U.S. registered voters say it is not appropriate to use "kung flu" and "China virus" when referring to COVID-19, a U.S. poll has found.

The poll, conducted online by U.S. media outlet The Hill and survey research company HarrisX on July 3-4, collected the opinions of 933 registered voters in the United States.

It found that 83 percent of Democratic voters and 66 percent of independents think it is inappropriate to use those terms, while 56 percent of Republican voters think the terms are "appropriate."

It also found that 89 percent of those who disapprove of the current administration deem it is inappropriate to use the terms, while the other 11 percent say they are appropriate.

Reporting the polling result, the Hill cited critics as saying that President Donald Trump's rhetoric "is partly to blame for an uptick in reported crimes against the Asian American community."