Deb urged travellers returning to the state to follow coronavirus-related guidelines and sought their cooperation.
The chief minister said 996 samples were tested for COVID-19 in Tripura on Saturday.
"Among them, 16 persons found COVID19 positive. All of them have returned from Maharashtra. They have been admitted to hospital," Deb tweeted on Saturday.
"Requesting all travellers to follow the quarantine instructions & co-operate with Govt," he added.
Officials said 23,418 people have been placed under surveillance in Tripura so far. Of them, 15,736 have been discharged after completing 14 days' observation.
Altogether, 359 people are in institutional quarantine in different places at present, while 7,327 are in home quarantine. JOY SBN SOM CK