Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- The mortality rate in Moscow, Russia, has "doubled recently" because of an extended streak of heat and smog, Andrei Seltsovsky, the head of the city health department, told Russian news agencies Monday. Seltsovsky said that the average daily mortality rate in Moscow is 360 to 380 cases, but "today the rate is around 700." Out of 1,500 slots in city morgues, 1,300 were occupied, he added. The death toll directly attributed to the country's recent spate of wildfires remained at 52, the Russian Health and Social Development Ministry said on its website Monday. Another 62 people across Russia were in hospitals with wildfire-related ailments, and in all, 741 people had sought wildfire-related medical assistance, it said.The mortality rate has doubled in the Russian capital, says Moscow's health chiefHundreds of people have become sick and more than 50 have died due to wildfiresThe Russian government is asking businesses to cut back on emissionsThe hot weather isn't expected to let up until after August 20
He said high levels of pollutants in the _ air pose a serious danger to Muscovites' health. Forests in the southwest, south and southeast of the _ region are particularly fire-prone, primarily because of peat bogs, he said.